In the knowledge that consumers are drawn to authentic brands, Carlsberg returned to its Danish heritage in 2017 with ‘The Danish Way’ campaign. This introduced a British audience to the philosophies and rituals of the happiest nation in the world in an innovative and engaging way. In summer 2018, our brief was tell this brand story in a more tangible way - to continue bringing young, affluent men 25-34 into the brand and encourage them to live a little more Danishly.

The Carlsberg Cabin was designed to give Carlsberg’s UK audience an immersive introduction to living ‘The Danish Way’ - an experience that invited them to question their work-life balance, reassess their relationship with technology and reconnect with nature.

Nestled in the Cornish countryside, The Cabin was constructed by six hand-picked strangers who were invited to live off-grid, building what had been designed to be the world’s first waterfall-powered pub. The story of their build was told across Carlsberg’s social channels, with influencers, national press and travel guides all encouraging bookings for overnight stays from the public.

Visitors enjoyed an experience that connected them with simple pleasures: good company and the great outdoors, not forgetting the free-flowing supply of crisp, chilled Carlsberg Expørt beer that could be drank during their stay.

The Carlsberg Cabin aimed to be the best articulation of ‘hygge’ - a Danish word that means comfy and cosy – as well as being an opportunity to enjoy uninterrupted conversation and quality time with friends, away from the hustle of daily life.

The building had to convey Carlsberg’s cultural and brand messaging through its architecture to a UK audience. Reinterpreting the iconic stone Cornish engine houses was the starting point from which to anchor the project regionally. The fusion of the Danish aesthetic with the Cornish vernacular was a literal transferral of ideas from one culture to another.

We needed a unique location where we could install our structure. We found a stunning campsite nestled in a disused slate quarry in Cornwall with a natural stream at the top of a 40ft waterfall. The flow of the natural stream could be filtered into a bespoke turbine which generated power to operate the Cabin and its beer pump.

The pub had to be designed in a modular way so that it could be built by six hand-picked strangers with no construction skills in just a week. Working with nature to enhance what was already there, it was constructed from a pared down material palette of wood, tin and polycarbonate. Sitting comfortably in the rustic landscape, exterior features include retractable and sliding panels allowing the interior and exterior to connect, and inside there was a beer pump and bar, and a gallery that paid homage to Carlsberg’s heritage.

Carlsberg Cabin opened in August and closed for the winter in November.

To date occupancy has been at 98% with over 350 overnight guests having booked via AirBnB and Canopy & Stars.

Content documenting the build was published across Carlsberg’s YouTube, Facebook and Instagram channels, reaching 5.3M men across the country.

Over 15 social influencers stayed at The Cabin, documenting their Danish Stays on their own channels, delivering 19,000 engagements.

The Cabin was covered in national press such as The Metro, The Telegraph and The Mirror, as well as famous travel guide, The Lonely Planet.

The engagement rate for social content exceeded industry benchmarks with 100% positive sentiment.