ERDINGER turns Lau Pa Sat into a Bavarian beer bash

ERDINGER is taking over Lau Pa Sat for two weekends in September as part of a wider Oktoberfest marketing push that will stretch across bars, restaurants, supermarkets and online retail in Singapore until the end of October.

Running on 18 and 19 September and again on 25 and 26 September, the free-entry activation will see the heritage food destination transformed into a Bavarian-inspired festival ground. It forms the centrepiece of a wider campaign spanning more than 30 Oktoberfest celebrations across Singapore from 11 September to 30 October, alongside retail and social touchpoints.

The campaign builds on ERDINGER's first Oktoberfest activation at Lau Pa Sat's Satay Street last year, where the brand saw an appetite among Singaporeans for a celebration that combined Bavarian traditions with a distinctly local experience, Gemma Goh, marketing manager, ERDINGER Singapore, told MARKETING-INTERACTIVE.

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"What stood out wasn’t just the enthusiasm for the beer but how people were eager to have an Oktoberfest celebration that feels both authentic to Bavaria and uniquely Singaporean," said Goh.

That response prompted the brand to return on a larger scale this year, with Lau Pa Sat selected for its role as a social gathering place in the CBD. According to Goh, that communal quality mirrors the spirit of Oktoberfest, while allowing ERDINGER to pair its German brewing heritage with Singapore's hawker culture.

"At Lau Pa Sat, classic ERDINGER brews meet iconic local hawker fare, bringing together two cultures united by a shared love of food, hospitality and social connection," she added.

The takeover centres heavily on experiential marketing, with live entertainment, games, merchandise and social sharing designed to encourage consumers to participate rather than simply watch.

Each evening will begin with barmaids moving through the crowd alongside Singapore's New Orleans-style New Stream Brass Band, distributing complimentary pints before leading festivalgoers in a mass beer toast.

ERDINGER is also introducing roaming "Oktoberfest style spotters", who will identify festivalgoers dressed in Oktoberfest-inspired outfits and reward selected participants with branded merchandise. Live performances from acoustic party band The Mad Trio will run alongside the festivities.

Interactive experiences will form another major part of the activation, including a 'Pretzel toss', 'Stein slide' and 'Stein holding challenge'. Consumers can unlock game passes either by purchasing ERDINGER beers or sharing their ERDINGER moments on social media, tying physical participation to social amplification.

Successful participants will receive redemption tickets that can be exchanged for festival-exclusive ERDINGER merchandise, including limited-edition jerseys, tumblers, socks and cushions. Live trivia challenges will also give festivalgoers the opportunity to win ERDINGER products for their tables.

The increased emphasis on participation follows a key learning from last year's activation, when ERDINGER set out to challenge the perception that Oktoberfest was primarily a celebration for foreigners.

According to Goh, Singaporeans enthusiastically took part in traditions such as stein-holding competitions and festival games, including consumers experiencing them for the first time. She said: 

The biggest learning for us was that Oktoberfest doesn’t need to be familiar to be fun — Singaporeans are very open to discovering and making these traditions their own when the experience is accessible, social and joyful.

That insight has informed the larger scale and increased number of interactive elements this year, with ERDINGER looking to make the celebration feel inclusive while retaining its Bavarian roots.

Experiential marketing also plays a wider role in ERDINGER's strategy in Singapore, particularly as the German beer brand marks 140 years since its founding this year. Goh said experiences such as Oktoberfest and Maifest give consumers a tangible way to engage with the brand's heritage rather than simply being told about its history and craftsmanship.

"Ultimately, experiential marketing is not about creating spectacle," said Goh. "For ERDINGER, this means creating opportunities for consumers in Singapore to experience the conviviality, generosity and social spirit that have always been at the heart of Bavarian beer culture."

While Lau Pa Sat serves as the flagship activation, ERDINGER is taking a broader integrated approach to Oktoberfest this year, extending the campaign through partner venues, retail and content shared around the celebrations.

More than 30 ERDINGER Oktoberfest celebrations will take place islandwide between 11 September and 30 October, including activations at The Chevrons, Taki Bar, Clarke Quay Fountain and Bread Butter Jam. Consumers will be able to participate in Oktoberfest games and redeem branded merchandise at selected venues.

The campaign will also extend into retail with limited-edition ERDINGER Oktoberfest Brew cans sold at major supermarkets and through RedMart, giving consumers an at-home touchpoint alongside its experiential and on-premise activity.

"By creating a connected ecosystem of experiences across live events, on-premise activations and retail, we're building stronger associations between ERDINGER and Oktoberfest in Singapore," said Goh.

"Ultimately, our ambition is for ERDINGER to become synonymous with Oktoberfest celebrations in Singapore by creating authentic experiences that consumers look forward to year after year," she added.

The Oktoberfest takeover also follows other seasonal activations at Lau Pa Sat this year, with the venue previously transforming its festive installations to tap into different cultural occasions and encourage visitor engagement.

Earlier this year, Lau Pa Sat marked the Hari Raya season by repurposing its Chinese New Year zodiac reading carousel into an educational installation exploring Ramadan and traditions of the Muslim community. Running from 3 March to 1 April, the showcase featured 12 educational touchpoints alongside festive symbols including ketupat, wau, a mosque, crescent moon and Ramadan lantern, with green hues and batik-inspired motifs reflecting the heritage of the historic market.

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