Carlsberg Throws It Back to the Stone Age In New Ad

Carlsberg just launched its latest campaign with a theme that revolves around a simple yet profound question, "Do the best things begin with curiosity?"

Made together with creative agency Fold7, the 30-second spot, along with its shorter versions, hypothesizes the origins of music and takes viewers through a trip across millenia. 

Kicking things off at the present, party-goers are seen in a Carlsberg rave with a beer on hand as they dance through the night.

The spot then moves back in time to spotlight the jazz era, with men and women prancing in their fancy suits and dresses.

A couple of centuries prior, there was the period of classical music, where people with full locks of hair and stringed instruments surrounded conductors. 

Enter "Carlsbergia," where roman soldiers marched and played wind instruments and trombones.

Going further back in time, there were shepherds with flutes gathering their flocks, before ultimately returning to the stone age, where cavemen played with — you guessed it — Carlsberg beer bottles.

The narrator then poses the question on curiosity, with the answer being "probably."

Despite the many differences between timelines, the Carlsberg logo remains a constant in each era, reminding viewers that it is "probably the best beer in the world" — enough to span different eras.

Counting on Curiosity

The beer brand's latest marketing push is based off research that reveals a common truth about human nature: that curiosity leads to great experiences.

It also harps on the brand's iconic tagline, "Probably the best beer in the world."

"This campaign is rooted in the insight that we can push the boundaries of progress with curiosity, something that is intrinsic to our core values at Carlsberg. Our founder J.C. Jacobsen’s mantra was ‘Semper Ardens,' Latin for 'always burning,'" shared Lynsey Woods, Carlsberg's global brand director.

"We want to showcase, with a little fun, wit and entertainment, that we can all reinvigorate our curious side, and we hope the campaign does just that for beer drinkers across the world."

"Do the best things begin with curiosity? Probably" marks the first global campaign for Carlsberg.

It will run across 120 markets and roll out in the UK, Asia, South America and Europe throughout 2024 and into 2025.

Editing by Katherine 'Makkie' Maclang