Not Just Any Golden Tree

SHAH ALAM, 6 February 2013 - It took three months to create and is a marvel of construction that attains a fine balance between height and stability. Reaching 16 feet at its highest point and spanning 16 feet across its widest point, the Carlsberg 'Tree of Abundance' with 680 mock ancient Chinese gold coins used in place of leaves, has piqued the interest of curiosity seekers and thrilled the Chinese community.

The golden tree built especially for the brand's Chinese New Year celebrations stands tall thanks to a complex system of carbon fibre, metal pipes, PVC and wires that have been painstakingly put together. The finishing touches are the mock coins in three sizes with the largest measuring up to one foot in diameter, lashings of gold paint and a Wishing Fountain at the tree's base.

Inspired by the ubiquitous money tree plant, the towering icon has now also earned itself a place in the Malaysia Book of Records as ‘The 'Tallest Mechanical “Tree of Abundance” Replica' in the country.

It is the mechanical aspect that allows for the tree to be raised and lowered with the use of hydraulics, while a customized motorised mechanism enables the dispensation of the little coin box that bestows a gift. The coin boxes move along metal pipes and the tubes containing the coin boxes are reloaded under the base of the 'Tree of Abundance', with each tube holding 30 boxes at a time.

Whether the gift is an ang pow worth RM11,888 or RM1,188, a big bottle of ice cold Carlsberg or a deck of specially designed playing cards, for most people it is also about what the tree signifies.

Carlsberg's 'Tree of Abundance' is a symbol of prosperity and good fortune, and holds the promise of a positive start to the Year of the Snake. With the tree, the brand is spreading festive season abundance among its consumers with a touch of tradition.

Soren Ravn, Managing Director of Carlsberg Malaysia, said, "The tree represents our wish for prosperity to flow and reach new heights for our consumers when they open Carlsberg beer this Lunar New Year. Each year, the creation of the icon for this festive occasion is a challenge for us to go beyond and bring something significantly meaningful to consumers. Seeing the tree receiving such enthusiastic response from the public wherever it goes means we have achieved our objective." 

According to Carlsberg, the main challenge is transporting the tree to each location of the road show due to uneven roads and obstacles like telephone wires, tunnels, and trees along the way. It requires six people to assemble the tree each time, after which it is moved in its full form to remain authentic, with two outriders leading the way!

The tree's delicate appearance belies its durability thanks to a sturdy structure and weatherproof paint that enables this construction to withstand all but the harshest of weather and the rigours of long distance travel on the open road. The brightly lit tree mounted on a truck, which is elaborately decorated with mock ingots and gold coins, is a sight to behold.

The 'Tree of Abundance' can be spotted in key locations only in Peninsular Malaysia until February 22. To catch a glimpse of this Malaysia Book of Records holder or for information on the RM6.8 million consumer promotion, visit facebook.com/Carlsberg or www.carlsberg.com.my.