Carlsberg Gathering at The Market Place

Last night, I was invited by Han Jie, my ex AE who is now in the mobile content business, to a place called Market Place for a Carlsberg Gathering.

Being a PJ girl (even tho technically I live in KL), I have no idea where’s Market Place and had to get directions. As it was off Jalan Yap Kwan Seng, close to the Zouk entrance, it’s not that hard to find.

Paul drove and we were pleasantly surprised when we pulled up at the entrance of Market Place.

The signage at the front was glowing bright red. As you enter, there’s a shallow pool on your left. Walking in, everything was dark and cosy.

Seating on one of the sofas and looking up, one can see a view of KLCC. Han Jie ordered a round of Carlsberg Extra Cold and we chatted and soaked in the atmosphere.

The only thing jarring the mood was a girl who was on the other table but sharing the long sofa seat with me. Every time she laughed, her body would fold backwards from a seating position and ended with a ‘PAP’ as her back and head smacked into the sofa just inches from my butt. She would then shake and laugh hysterically. I have no clue how much Calrsberg she had before I arrived.

After the drink, we explored the rest of the building. The stairs leading up to the balcony had a big crystal ball and a powerful spotlight shining on it. And up on the balcony, there were tables and chairs and a bright view of the Twin Towers. It’s a perfect area for total privacy and quiet chit chat.

I kept a look out for others who were part of this Carlsberg Gathering but did not find many people. From what I gather, it’s similar to Dunhill’s 101 East dinners. The difference seems to be they don’t talk about the product nor educate customers about the brand. It’s more like a get-together among friends, sponsored by Carsberg. And the only visible branding was the Carlsberg tap at the bar.

From a branding point of view, it feels like a waste of time and money. In events like these, they should take the opportunity to give their customers and potential customers a total brand experience.

I was however, told that this is a small gathering and was invited back for a bigger event the following Wednesday. Let’s see what happens then.