For this episode of The Sports Marketeer, I caught up with Louise Bach, Global Sponsorship Director at Carlsberg, about the brand’s iconic 30+ year partnership with Liverpool FC.
Louise is one of the most accomplished sponsorship professionals I have come across in the business and it was fascinating to understand more about what makes her tick and the strategy behind a collaboration that has been venerated for years.
We explored how the Liverpool FC partnership helped Carlsberg accelerate its global growth in the 1990s, the club’s deep ties to Scandinavia, and the brand’s commitment to responsible marketing -including thoughtful decisions around Player of the Match awards and alcohol-free celebrations.
Louise shares insights into Carlsberg’s innovative fan-first campaigns, capitalising on Liverpool’s title celebrations, how they adapt to industry shifts like Gen Z drinking less, and the rise of 0.0 beer. The conversation also covers Carlsberg’s growing investment in women’s football, their recently-announced UEFA sponsorship, and Louise’s passion for empowering women in sports business.
As we covered different topics, Louise kept coming back to one idea: respect for people. Whether it’s footballers, fans, or internal teams, that respect seems to guide how Carlsberg shows up.
It's a great reminder that brand success is often built on empathy and good old fashioned relationship building - not just strategy
🗣️ Talking funnels and flywheels at SEG3 London
Looking at how Carlsberg’s strategy is evolving to meet shifting audience trends is the perfect lead-in to what I’ll be discussing at SEG3 London on June 10, where I’ll join David Ball, Jo Redfern, Charles Kerr, and Mathieu Lacrouts to talk about how storytelling, content, and tech are reshaping how we connect with Gen Z and Gen A audiences.
SEG3 is one of the more interesting and thought-provoking conferences in the sector, particularly when it comes to exploring the convergence of sport with other passion points such as tech and gaming.
If you fancy attending, use the code 'Speaker20' for 20% off: SEG3 Tickets
🎙️Honouring the best British podcasting
I'm delighted to be on the judging panel for this year’s British Podcast Awards – celebrating the most powerful voices, original stories, and standout sound design from across the UK.
Enter your podcast here: 👉 https://lnkd.in/ev5BbYmb
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