How a Legendary Comeback Sparked One of Football’s Most Iconic Brand Partnerships
For Carlsberg, the magic of football isn’t just about goals, tackles, or cup lifts.
It’s about the moments that transcend the pitch – the unforgettable, edge-of-your-seat, heart-stopping comebacks that live forever in football folklore.
And few comebacks are as etched in football’s collective memory as the ‘Miracle of Istanbul’ – the 2005 UEFA Champions League final, where Liverpool FC pulled off one of the greatest turnarounds in sporting history, coming back from 3-0 down to defeat AC Milan in a penalty shootout.
To mark the 20th anniversary of this remarkable night, Carlsberg has unveiled its ‘Miracle Can’ – a limited-edition brew that captures the essence of that fateful night.
The campaign features a short film starring Liverpool legends Jerzy Dudek, Sami Hyypiä, and Vladimír Šmicer, three players whose boots and gloves were instrumental in that historic victory.
The film opens with the ‘Miracle Can’ rolling down Carlsberg’s conveyor belt to the haunting strains of an operatic version of Allez Allez Allez, sung by Hyypiä himself.
As the can makes its journey, Šmicer leans in for a kiss of luck – a nod to his crucial second goal in the 54th minute that sparked Liverpool’s comeback.
The narrative builds to a climax as the can is shot off the line, landing perfectly in Šmicer’s grasp – a symbolic pass of the torch from one legend to another.
The campaign, crafted with meticulous detail and a deep understanding of the shared history between Carlsberg and Liverpool FC, will roll out across social media, e-commerce, in-store activations, and internal communications, reinforcing the brewer’s 30 plus year partnership with the iconic football club.
Louise Bach, Carlsberg’s global sponsorship director, captured the sentiment perfectly, stating, “At Carlsberg, we’re beyond proud of our 30+ year partnership with Liverpool FC. It’s been an incredible journey, and we’re always looking for ways to bring more people closer to the magic of the beautiful game.”
The Miracle Can is more than just a nod to the past – it’s a reminder that in football, as in life, the greatest victories are often the most improbable.
And for Carlsberg, it’s a celebration of the unbreakable bond between a brand and a club that share a common spirit of resilience, passion, and unwavering belief.
Because after all, if Carlsberg did comebacks, they’d probably be the greatest in the world.
The APPIES is an annual event that presents a rare opportunity for creative, media, digital and marketing agencies or brands to present their best campaigns to the industry.
This is the only event where Live Presentations meets Live Judging.
Similar to TED Talks, The APPIES is the chance for great presenters with outstanding work to show it off to some of the industry’s most important industry leaders.
This year’s winners will receive Gold, Silver or Bronze trophies for 21 categories, and 6 special Best of Best categories (red trophies) that require no submissions!
Campaign entries must have run between June 2024 to May 2025
