(Straits Time Online) BERLIN – GERMANS may be famous for their beer, but domestic sales of the amber nectar slumped last year to their lowest level since 1989, according to official statistics published on Thursday.

Sales of German beer, which include the world-famous Becks, Warsteiner and Bitburger, dropped to just under 100 hectolitres (2.2 billion gallons) in 2009, a fall of 2.8 per cent on the previous year.

Germans have quaffed less beer every year since 2006, when the football World Cup, held in Germany that year, boosted consumption.

The statistics office gave no reason for the fall in sales but earlier in the year blamed poor weather, higher prices and a smoking ban in pubs and restaurants.

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(TheStar Online) PETALING JAYA: Guinness Anchor Bhd (GAB) plans to spend about RM20mil on Tiger Beer brand’s advertising and promotion activities for Chinese New Year and FIFA World Cup campaigns.

Marketing manager who looks after the Tiger Beer business, Sean Koh, said the company planned to spend about RM10mil on its Chinese New Year campaign that entailed print as well digital advertising and promotional activities.

“This is the plan for our Year of the Tiger 2010 campaign,” he told StarBiz in a recent interview, adding that Chinese New Year was the best-selling season for the company and would probably rake in close to 40% of the year’s total sales.

For the upcoming FIFA World Cup, Koh said the advertising activities and overall expenses were still under planning but the cost was estimated at RM10mil.

“World Cup is be another big event for us and there will be activities lined up,” he said.

He said the company was expecting better sales for its Tiger Beer this year compared with last year, mainly due to encouraging momentum in the Year of the Tiger and its aggressive marketing campaigns.

Sales for Tiger Beer totalled about RM500mil, making it the largest contributor to GAB’s total revenue of RM1.28bil in the financial year ended June 30, 2009.

The brand holds 32.5% in the local malt liquor (beer) market.

On the impact of the economic crisis on consumer spending, Koh said consumers tended to drink less initially but got used to the crisis after that.

“We see ourselves benefitting more in an economic crisis as some of the consumers would switch from liquor to the more affordable beer,” he said.

He expected a better business scene for the brewery market this year supported by the economic recovery and hoped this would improve spending sentiment.

(Beerbeer) I bullish year for Tiger. Many big brand will for sure put a lot of money on the World Cup. We can prepare for a lot of contest going out in town. Can’t wait for World Cup.

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Shah Alam, January 23 – Carlsberg Malaysia added a special treat to its Chinese New Year (CNY) celebrations this year to express appreciation to its loyal consumers by presenting a music video in DVD format titled Carlsberg “Fook” (Prosperity) CNY Album or 添福添旺新姿态贺岁专辑.

Highly regarded for its long-term Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) commitment towards the Chinese community, Carlsberg Malaysia also involved artistes from its CSR project Top Ten Charity Campaign (Top Ten), in the DVD production. This is an extension of the Group’s commitment to provide an avenue for the talented Malaysian singers to gain better exposure and promote their talents in the entertainment industry.

Participating artistes in the album comprises Christopher Lay, Amy Wang, Stella Chung, Aric Ho, Lim TP and a girl group called “YaTou”. The CNY album of approximately 30 minutes duration covering 5 tracks, with a brand new Carlsberg CNY song as 1^st track, followed by 3 tracks of seven entertaining popular CNY songs in medley. Complementing the music video of the new Carlsberg CNY song – 添福添旺新姿态, the world champion lion dance troupe – Malaysia Khuan Loke Dragon & Lion Dance Association, which has been sponsored by Carlsberg Malaysia for the past 10 years, performed a high pole lion dance performance.

At the album launch event held in the Sungai Wang Plaza, KL, Executive Director of Carlsberg Malaysia Dato’ Chin Voon Loong commented that …. “Chinese New Year is an auspicious and most celebrated festive season by the Chinese community in Malaysia.   We are happy to share the Carlsberg “Fook” DVD album with the Chinese community when they celebrate the New Year with their loved ones. The Carlsberg Malaysia Group also wishes all Malaysians abundance in prosperity for this New Year”

Carlsberg Malaysia has been funding the Top Ten Charity Campaign since 1987, which has raised approximately RM 339 million in funds over 22 years that benefitted more than 560 Chinese schools. With its long-term commitment and significant school-building funds raised, the Top Ten Charity Campaign achieved two awards in the Malaysia Book of Records i.e. the ‘Longest Running Chinese Charity Show’ and the ‘Highest Funds Raised through Chinese Charity Shows’.

“The success of the Top Ten Charity Campaign and the promising talent of the local artistes inspired us to extend the scope of our commitment and we hope that other organizations will also come forward to contribute to the community for the betterment of society.”  Dato Chin added. He also thanked the generous contributors, fund raisers, artistes and the media partners for their dedication in sharing the same CSR vision and support of the Top Ten Charity Campaign.

This Carlsberg “Fook” DVD album will be promoted  by the 9 artistes together with two Carlsberg “Fook” Prosperity Gods who will make special appearances at some of the selected hypermarkets on January, 23, 24, 30 & 31 and February 5, to spread good wishes to consumers and autograph signing on posters and albums. The timetable of the activation can be obtained from www.toptencharity.com/CNYALBUM

The Carlsberg “Fook” DVD album is an exclusive promotional premium that will be given free to consumers for every purchase of 2 cartons and above (either with 24 or 28 cans) of Carlsberg, Carlsberg Gold and Danish Royal Stout at selected hypermarkets and supermarkets in Peninsula Malaysia. It is also available as promotional items at some refreshment outlets. The promotion will commence from January 23^rd, while stocks last.

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