Heineken is marking its 150th anniversary with a global campaign designed to show how the brand does not care how consumers drink, name or spell it, as long as they are having a good time with it, one way or another.
Inspired by the words of Freddy Heineken: “I don’t sell beer, I sell gezelligheid” (‘the feeling of good times’), the new push pokes fun at the brand by showing that good times are not generated by spelling or drinking a beer a certain way, but are instead enhanced and enjoyed through quality socialising and the power of real human connection.
The TV spot has been developed by data-driven agency Le Pub, a joint venture between Publicis and Heineken. It takes viewers on a journey around the globe to showcase all the different ways people adapt and enjoy social moments and memories with Heineken, while showing that they are not always done in the way the brand necessarily intended or expected.
From an incorrectly spelt tattoo of the Heineken logo to a beer being served with a lime, a straw and even ice. The light-hearted film also features nods to the brand’s many sponsorship properties, and stars former Formula 1 World Champion Mika Hakkinen.
Heineken brand global head Bram Westenbrink said: “We’re open-minded about the way that our consumers refer to us, how they spell and nickname us, and how they drink Heineken because, we know this doesn’t really matter.
“Throughout our 150-year legacy, we have learnt that good times are not about getting it right, but the conditions, locations and people we are able to enjoy a beer with. While how we enjoy good times may have changed and may differ in each of the 192 countries we are sold in, the need for good times remains the same and consistent, just like our beer.
“So, this campaign is a celebration of that universally shared experience, and the joy quality socialising and human connection can have for people, one way or another.”
In addition to the TV ad, Heineken is rebranding its social media accounts and website pages using common spelling mistakes and colloquial nicknames, in a move designed to remind people it is not the spelling, but the experience that matters.
Heineken is available in over 192 countries, making it one of the world’s most international beer brands.
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Publicis and Heineken open data-driven agency, Le Pub
