If you are on Facebook and a football fan, here is a tempting offer from Carlsberg India, the beer maker.

For the upcoming Euro 2012, Carlsberg is going to pick one lucky winner from the “fan challenge” on Facebook to be launched from April. The winner will get to present the man of the match award at the second semi-finals of the tournament in June-July in Warsaw, Poland.

Carlsberg India Marketing Director, Mr Subodh Marwah, said it's a big attempt to connect with the Indian consumer through the steadily increasing following for football in the country. Recently, it launched the India campaign with Bhaichung Bhutia, India's face of the game.

For the next few months, as a run-up to the Euro 2010, for which Carlsberg is the official sponsor, he said the company will run a campaign. It will have a “face to offer contest,” giving consumers tickets to watch the quarter finals matches as well, he told Business Line . Euro 2012 is being held in Ukraine and Poland. For the past 24 years, Carlsberg has been associated with it.

Beer market

Referring to the beer market, Mr Marwah said last year the sales were down with growth of around 5.5 to 6 per cent (17 per cent the previous year). However, “we expect better sales this year and hope to see growth of 8-10 per cent. Carlsberg has emerged the third biggest beer seller in the country in the last four years.”

With five breweries in Aurangabad, near Kolkata, Alwar in Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh and in A.P. Carlsberg has enough capacity to meet the demands of the domestic market. It launched the premium Carlsberg Elephant in September 2011 and has a good offering for the Indian market, he added.

> soma@thehindu.co.in

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