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Carling is to launch a marketing campaign around this year's World

Cup, in an attempt to drive sales in pubs and off-licences during the

tournament.

Coors Brewers, the brand's new owner, is keeping details of the

promotion - called 'Game On' - under wraps. Marketing and international

development director Mark Hunter said it would be similar to the 'Vive

le Football' initiative run by its previous owner Bass Brewers during

the 1998 World Cup.

The £3m Vive le Football campaign, devised by KLP, featured the

Tennent's brand in Scotland and Carling south of the border. Banners

were hung in pubs stocking the beers, while take-home cans were

redesigned with a patriotic flavour: Carling cans carried the Union Flag

while Tennent's packs bore a lion.

Retailers also offered varying promotional devices and competitions.

Kwik Save ran a competition offering a Mini, while Morrisons gave away

free footballs.

The decision to launch Game On follows the success of Vive Le

Football.

Research by Bass showed that although Carling was not official sponsor,

it was the brand people most readily associated with the World Cup

tournament.

Hunter said 'Game On' would also be supported by television advertising

and on and off-trade activity.

Carling has retained an association with football and still has links

with five Premiership clubs despite its withdrawal last year from title

sponsorship of the league.

According to Hunter: "Football is important to people who drink our

beer. We have invested significantly in the sport over the past eight

years. Football is important to us, but it has to be football at the

right price."

Separately, Coors has announced it is reviewing ten of its smaller ale

brands that do not currently receive any marketing support. These

include Toby Bitter, Allbright, Breaker and Brew XI.

Hunter said: "There is an economic level at which you cannot continue to

support brands. When you go below that line you have to bite the

bullet."