- Carling partners with OddBalls to give away over 4,500 pairs of exclusive Lucky Pants – helping retailers capitalise on a packed summer of sport
- Consumers simply text to win, with a straightforward mechanic designed to drive engagement and purchase
- Carling is also producing dedicated podcast content featuring England legend Joe Cole reporting stateside, to create excitement around the occasion
Carling, the UK’s leading core lager brand[1], is backing retailers with a major activation designed to drive footfall and build buzz throughout the summer of football. Live until late June, Carling is running an exclusive Lucky Pants giveaway in partnership with OddBalls – giving away over 4,500 pairs across its retail partners.
The activation brings together Carling, the lager brand consumers most associate with football[2], and OddBalls, the underwear brand known for its vibrant designs and charity partnerships which spark meaningful conversations. With major football fixtures delivering a 13% average uplift in UK grocery beer sales on match days[3], the partnership aims to help retailers tap into the excitement around a busy summer schedule, as consumers plan viewing parties and gatherings at home.
The promotion will run across major retailers including Tesco and Morrisons, supported by in-store point-of-sale branded banners, magazine communications and targeted social media campaigns driving awareness and participation.
To be in with a chance to win, Tesco shoppers will simply need to purchase a Carling promotional multipack and text to win a pair of exclusive Lucky Pants for themselves and their mates. Morrisons shoppers will be able to scan a QR code on point of sale materials in participating stores and register to be entered into a prize draw.
Display materials, promotional assets, online content and social toolkits will also be widely available to retailers to drive help customer engagement and make their store the go-to destination for consumers looking to stock up on matchday.
Beyond the Lucky Pants
Building on the success of Carling’s ‘Could It Be Magic’ podcast – which has generated over 13.3 million views across podcast and social media platforms – Carling is producing new content featuring England legend Joe Cole, titled ‘Could It Be Coming Home’. Reporting from New York, Joe will bring exclusive interviews with a star-studded line-up of legendary ex-players, and speak with football fans about the sport’s growing culture in the US.
Ryan McLaughlin, Brand Director for Carling at Molson Coors Beverage Company, said: “We’re about to enter a summer of sport, with football taking centre stage – and where there’s football, there’s Carling. We know fans have their rituals, their lucky shirts, their must-have pre-match routines, which makes Lucky Pants the perfect pairing.
“This activation is about helping retailers make their stores a destination for consumers planning get-togethers and celebrations at home for the summer of sport – giving shoppers something exclusive to drive purchases and talk about with their mates. We always aim to provide customers with an outstanding portfolio, strong execution and reliable service. Combining the OddBalls partnership with bespoke in-store assets and our brand-new podcast content, we’re delivering on that promise by giving retailers the tools to maximise this major trading period.”
[1] CGA GB On Trade Volume 52 w/e 21-Feb-2026 / Circana GB Off Trade 52 w/e 21-Feb-2026
[2] ProQuo “Which of the following brands do you most associate with football?” 19 May 2023 to 31 March 2025)
[3] Molson Coors’ analysis using Prophet machine learning algorithm May-25
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