Executive Summary
Why have zero craic, when you can have 0.0 craic? Heineken 0.0 is the biggest innovation the Irish beer market has seen in recent times that facilitated a cultural shift in Irish drinking habits, but there was still a sense of confusion around ‘when’ exactly was the right time to drink “no alcohol”. Heineken 0.0 needed to own an occasion and with 1 in 4 people set to complete Dry January in 2021, it seemed like a natural fit. Instead of communicating the usual health-focused message, the Heineken 0.0 brand team in collaboration with their interagency partners became a catalyst for fun throughout the month of January. It began with a surprise and delight Out-of-home stunt on New Year’s Day. The stunt marked the beginning of 31 days of competitions and prizes – showing the nation that less alcohol doesn’t mean less craic. The campaign was a success, with Heineken’s 0.0 volume and value share across multiple convenience stores increasing. Positive online impressions further amplified the message with the campaign reaching 219,000 people.
Insight/Creative Idea/Background
As a nation, we are increasingly conscious of what we put into our bodies, and terms such as mindfulness and well-being are becoming central motivators in our purchasing decisions. The successful 360 marketing campaign came off the back of new research that showed 30% of respondents agreed they would reduce their alcohol intake post-Christmas (Source: Talon Insights 2021). Heineken seized this opportunity to promote its 0.0 range at a time when consideration of the brand was at its highest. Further research conducted by Bounce Insights & Thinkhouse demonstrated that over 70% of respondents agreed that socialising can be just as enjoyable when alcohol-free. And thus, the tagline “Why have zero craic when you can have 0.0 craic? was born. By focusing on this tagline, the Heineken 0.0 brand team were able to introduce an element of disruption and fun into the campaign.
Strategy
Following on from a successful launch into the Irish market, the Heineken 0.0 brand team needed a fresh campaign to ensure high brand salience at a key time of the year. This year, Heineken wanted to show that less alcohol doesn’t mean less craic. This became the focal point of the strategy. With January already being an overwhelming month for many and coming off the back of a strange two years, the campaign evolved from solely communicating a health-focused message to having a bit more fun with what can be the driest month of the year. The 360-marketing campaign needed an element of disruption, so the team chose to work with Talon Ireland to create a surprise and delight stunt launching on New Year’s Day, which was also amplified online by Joe. ie promoting the message “Who says January has to be dry?”.
Execution
The campaign launched on the 1st of January with a surprise and delight stunt. Consumers could win one of 5 prizes worth €500 by interacting with a 3D billboard on Macken St in Dublin. The Out-of-Home billboard was designed as an advent calendar and allowed passers-by to open doors to win prizes. Heineken 0.0 brand ambassador Lucy Kennedy launched the stunt on the day and was actively engaging with passers-by and handing out prizes. The stunt marked the start of 31 days of competitions and prizes. A wider multi-format Out-of-Home campaign ran alongside the bespoke innovation, and incorporated cover building formats such as Bus Shelters and Tsides reaching Dublin City and the wider Dublin areas. The campaign also featured digital Out-of-Home formats such as the Digital Bridges at Amien St and Pearse St and digital Bus Shelters on the main thoroughfares throughout Dublin. To further amplify the message and ensure Heineken 0.0 was positioned as the go-to 0% alternative for Dry January 2022 a 3D can was created and placed on a 48 sheet in a high-footfall location in Dublin.
Results
Dry January is the biggest ownable occasion for Heineken 0.0 and with a growing number of Irish adults giving Dry January a go, there is a huge positive movement towards more choice and moderation. The 360-marketing campaign was a resounding success. Heineken 0.0 grew its volume share, achieving a 30.7% level and a total market value share of 33.2%. Similarly, value and volume shares grew across multiples such as Tesco, Supervalu and Centra.
With major earned media coverage as well as zeitgeist conversations online, social amplification proved effective. Heineken 0.0 ran on Youtube and reached 219,000 people which equated to 540,000 impressions. These figures are reflective of running a short burst the week following the surprise and delight stunt.
This year Heineken’s objective was clear – less alcohol doesn’t mean less craic. Through clever planning and execution, they surpassed their desired results.
