The unique bond between Liverpool FC and Carlsberg began in '92 when Carlsberg took pride of place on the front of the Reds' shirt. But in 2009 Carlsberg was outbid and lost its place on the chests of the playing strip. Yet the brand’s unwavering loyalty to the club means they maintain a special place in the hearts of fans - and remain the Official Beer Partner of Liverpool FC to this day.

So when we inked a sponsorship extension for 10 more years, we wanted to remind fans of our long-shared history together.

This is a simple story about the undying loyalty of Liverpool fans. To their club. And their beer. When Carlsberg extended their partnership with Liverpool FC for 10 more years, it became the longest-running sponsorship in the English Premier League. To honour this, we engaged die-hard fans, and local Liverpool tattoo artist and lifelong fan, Dan Hutton to put real skin in the game. The result, "Ten More Years. Inked" is a story crafted in stop-motion animation, where every single frame has been individually tattooed onto the skin of a real Liverpool fan. Club, brand, and fans. Forever inked. Forever linked.

True fans of Liverpool FC can spot authenticity like no one else. So to earn their respect we had to do something no other sponsor could pull off. And as we knew that the news of the contract extension itself had potential to gain PR, we also knew that if we created a project that was good enough, the sky was the limit.

10 More Years. Inked was made to be shared through social media and to get organic press, but the local Liverpudlian fans also did their fair share to get the story out, by sharing their own once in a lifetime experience. This helped catapult our story into the fan groups of the reds with great success.

Guess the good old 'was it really real' reaction still works well as a PR strategy. And in case any one reading this is still wondering – it was 100% real.

What could demonstrate unwavering devotion and commitment more than going under the needle?

Together with local Liverpool tattoo artist and lifelong Liverpool F.C. fan, Dan Hutton, "10 More Years. Inked" is a story made from real tattoos.The moving image football scene was created by inking 57 tattoos and then photographing them in sequence, all to create a stop-motion animation in which every single frame has been individually tattooed onto the skin of a real Liverpool fan.

Launched on December 7, 2023 - the campaign went live on both Carlsberg and Liverpool’s global social and digital channels (YouTube, Instagram, X), as well as posted by each fan featured in the video, creating a network of superfan micro-influencers. Within 48 hours the campaign had reached millions of members of the global Liverpool fan family, receiving unanimous praise and brand love.

The project is the #1 most viewed and engaged partner announcement for LFC, demonstrating fans' affinity for the brand and the partnership. It drove impressive results and brand love.

Proving hearts can still be earned, not bought in the world of sports sponsorship.

SOCIAL PERFORMANCE:

172K+ ENGAGEMENTS

+4.1 MILLION VIEWS IN UNDER 48 HOURS

100% POSITIVE SOCIAL SENTIMENT

MEDIA COVERAGE:

135 EDITORIAL MENTIONS

360 MILLION PR REACH

€3.3 MILLION EARNED MEDIA