Liverpool sponsor Carlsberg apologises for proposed Sun promotion

by Staff, Brand Republic 18-Aug-08, 08:30

LONDON - Carlsberg has apologised to Liverpool FC fans and abandoned plans to run a promotion in The Sun newspaper, describing the idea as "naive".

Carlsberg is the Liverpool shirt sponsor, and had been planning a promotion, set to run on the bank holiday weekend, to give away a pint of beer to Sun readers. However, hundreds of the club's fans from around the world contacted the Danish brewer to complain about the deal.

Many Liverpudlians still boycott News International-owned The Sun because of its coverage of the Hillsborough disaster in 1989, in which 96 Liverpool fans died, and there are newsagents in the city that will not stock the paper.

A now infamous front page, under then editor Kelvin MacKenzie, ran with the headline "The Truth", with three sub-headlines: "Some fans picked pockets of victims"; "Some fans urinated on the brave cops"; "Some fans beat up PC giving kiss of life".

The story went on to allege that "drunken Liverpool fans viciously attacked rescue workers as they tried to revive victims" and "police officers, firemen and ambulance crew were punched, kicked and urinated upon".

The Sun finally issued an apology in 2004 "without reservation" in a full-page opinion piece saying that it had "committed the most terrible mistake in its history". MacKenzie, however, who had apologised, later changed his mind and said he was "not sorry".

The Liverpool Echo, which is owned by Trinity Mirror, reported that Carlsberg received emails and letters about the promotion from fans as far away as Norway and Malaysia, and that shareholders had also been contacted by fans.

Keld Strudhal, marketing director of Carlsberg International, told the newspaper: "It is difficult to explain - there is a lot of emotion in this. We have run other promotions, but they have not got a reaction like this one.

"This was not directed towards Liverpool FC. There was some kind of naivety. When the complaints first came in, we waited to see if it was a spontaneous thing but, as it went on, we realised it was not just a couple of fans."

Carlsberg has been a sponsor of Liverpool for 16 years. The club's chief executive, Rick Parry, said he welcomed the swift decision to pull the promotion.

Liverpool won the first game of the Premiership in a 1-0 match against Sunderland.

Comments

Paul Bennett - 18/08/2008

So the Liverpudlians are mad because they want free beer but can't get it because they would have to buy the Sun and the Sun made them out to be a load of drunken louts?

Andrew Blakeley - 18/08/2008

Paul, you just brightened up my Monday morning: that may be one of the funniest comments I've ever read.

D Clark - 18/08/2008

Didn't find this funny at all. As a Liverpool supporter (not a Liverpudlian though), and was too young to remember the day I can understand the anger of the Liverpudlian fans who have been portrayed as drunken holligans by the Sun. The anger is not for missing out on free beer but for the sheer fact that a company with very close ties with the club would contemplate linking up with a paper who disrespected the club so much.

Frank Poole - 18/08/2008

"A Liverpool supporter who is a Liverpudlian."

Now there's a surprise. Glory hunter.

D Clark - 18/08/2008

Well considering I'm not from England and it's the only league worth watching I feel I have the right to pick whatever team I feel I think is best. And considering my last post said that I'm too young to remember Hillsborough, that would also mean that I don't remember when we last won the league. I've had 15 years of watching Man Utd, Arsenal, Chelski, and even Blackburn win the league ahead of us. Now that's what I call Glory Hunting.

Rikesh Mistry - 18/08/2008

Right on Clark!

Jason Brown - 18/08/2008

Did'nt fancy supporting Wigan then?

Nathan Strawn - 18/08/2008

Hey, its not like Clark pick Man U or Chelsea to follow....and im sure Wigan would have been his 2nd choice ;-) Look, Carlsberg has the privilege of being on a LFC shirt that millions of fans around the world support. So, that means if the Liverpurdlians/LFC fans hate The Sun Paper, the rest of the world fans will follow. Carlsberg did the right thing. Giving away beer with the paper!!? Im guessing this would be with a voucher of some sort?? It would be funny to see beer rolled up in the paper...

Richard Edwards - 18/08/2008

Time to move on maybe? I'm in no way condoning what The Sun did after Hillsborough but maybe, just maybe, you need to move on a little. Accept the unreservd apology and get on with your life. Or was Boris right all along?

Gordon Macmillan - 18/08/2008

@Paul Bennett - cheap.

@Frank Poole - Glory hunter, schomry hunter. Whatever, there is absolutely nothing wrong with being a Liverpol fan who is not from Liverpool. Man U is a different matter entirely, of course.

Frank Poole - 18/08/2008

I agree with Richard. Get over it and move on. Boris said Liverpudlians "wallow" in their "victim status". He is being proved right. And supporting a club which is local to where you grew up gives you a bond and link with the club that you just can't get if you're a franchise fan like the Liverpool fans who are not from Liverpool.

AwallafaShagba - 19/08/2008

@ Gordon - Paul Bennett cheap ? OOoooo Maureen !

Alex Donohue - 20/08/2008

Re: Hillsborough, since when has The Sun let the truth get in the way of a story? McKenzie only apologised because he was forced to, he said last year that he "wasn't sorry then and not sorry now." FYI the moron used to refer to the city as "the socialist republic of Liverpool" (eh?).

gotnoteef - 21/08/2008

I'm a Cov fan - sorry - tenuous moment of catharsis - it needed to get out! I feel much better now - thanks for letting me share!

Neimad - 21/08/2008

a bit short sighted of carlsberg not to see this coming, but P.Bennet's right, that's exactly why they're pissed off. Harry Enfields character is so true though, 16-yrs and they still haven't calmed down on a story that has not been proved un-true to my knwledge. Shut up moaning liverpudlians - and no I don't actually support a cetain other red tem or anyone else for that matter