Carling raises a glass to friendship in Havas London campaign

The 'We’re Made by Our Mates’ campaign is the brewer's first major marketing initiative since 2019

By creative salon

08 September 2022

Carling, the UK’s #1 lager, has unveiled its first major marketing campaign since 2019: an evolution of brand platform ‘Made Local’ which shifts its focus from the power of community to the power of friendship. ‘We’re made by our mates’, from Molson Coors’ lead UK creative agency Havas London, playfully celebrates those little moments that make great friendships – and the fundamental importance those friendships hold for all of us.

Made Local, which first launched in 2019, is rooted around the places and people that make us. While the original campaign shone a light on the neighbourhoods, communities and initiatives that make our society what it is, this new execution champions the relationships that make us who we are.

These are brought to life through a number of affectionate, authentic, character-driven ads that show real friendship. These will air alongside sports (including Sky Pubs) and other high-reach TV programming throughout the rest of the year. The campaign will be boosted by VOD and programmatic video, as well as live activity around Sky Sports content on Twitter and the targeting of engaged sports fans across Reddit.

The 3x30” and 4x20” spots were created by Havas’ Jamie Starbuck, Lex Down and Dan Cole, and directed by Stink Films’ Tom Green – best known for the BAFTA award-winning Misfits for Channel 4, as well as commercials for Guinness, Britain’s Beer Alliance and Vodafone.

Lee Willett, Brand Director at Carling says: “The strength of Made Local has always been in its genuine, authentic portrayals of the diverse lives of real drinkers up and down the country – but much has changed since we introduced the platform in 2019. And while we connect to the places that made us and what we did there, we connect because of the people who make those places. It’s that familiar, everyday, yet universal sense of community – and the friendships that underpin it – we set out to celebrate in this campaign.”

Vicki Maguire, Chief Creative Officer at Havas London adds: “There are few brands that boast such a unique place within British culture as Carling. And at the heart of that culture are the shared experiences we live with our mates. They are the bonds that shape us and make us. We wanted to capture what those friendships really look like – which, in the UK, often means good-natured humour underpinned by genuine affection. We’ll all recognise these moments, because we live them up and down the country every day.”