Watch the full ad here:

Joe's thoughts:

"The ad's greatness lies in its perfectly executed premise: gathering a team of legendary former England football players, including World Cup winners like Bobby and Jack Charlton, coached by Sir Bobby Robson, to play a match as a local pub team. The humour comes from seeing these footballing heroes in the mundane, muddy world of Sunday League football. Their realistic portrayal, with unscripted banter and classic pub team tropes tapped into a very "grassroots, very English" football culture, appealing directly to the target audience.

The commercial, which culminates in the classic tagline, "Carlsberg don't do pub teams. But if they did, they'd probably be the best pub team in the world", stands the test of time because it champions an enduring, relatable fantasy. It demonstrates that future TV advertising can learn from blending high-profile celebrity endorsement with genuine, self-deprecating humour and cultural insight. The key takeaway is to root the brand message in an authentic, beloved community rather than just glossy production.

The campaign's media strategy was excellent, built around the 2006 FIFA World Cup. The 180-second "Old Lions" piece was the cornerstone, launching to capitalise on the anticipation for the tournament. Saatchi & Saatchi launched the Old Lions campaign on 15 April, two months before the 9 June start date of the 2006 FIFA World Cup, and the full 180-second commercial screened only three times, all on the first day of the campaign. By debuting the campaign early and in a high-impact way, Carlsberg could establish its presence before the market became saturated with competing World Cup-themed advertising from other brands. It first aired on Sky Sports' Soccer AM (I miss this programme!), a show known for its cult following among the target audience of 16-34 Men. Launching it on a fan-focused show like Soccer AM emphasized this grassroots, "pub-level" football culture, giving it instant credibility and buzz. TV Buyers take note, picking the right programme and/or environment to launch an advert in remains a crucial part of any AV strategy!

The campaign was ahead of its time, pioneering a hugely successful interactive television element. Instead of just running the full three-minute version, shorter segments aired on TV, and viewers were encouraged to click through to a dedicated area to watch the full ad, a "making-of" documentary, and outtakes. This media placement strategy maximised reach during a high-traffic sporting event and leveraged interactivity to transform a single ad view into extended, deep brand engagement—a crucial lesson for modern, multi-platform advertising."