Heineken Debuts New Bottle

Heineken's unveiling of its new global ad campaign during a launch party at Banzai Sushi was a textbook example of how events can support brand marketing.
The Heineken brand philosophy is based on the notion that life is more rewarding for people who are willing to experiment and take risks. With this in mind, Nathalie Masse, manager of corporate affairs at Molson Canada, Heineken's Canadian distributor, worked with event planners Danielle Iversen of That PR thing and Lavender Poodle Productions to create a multisensory event featuring music, video, dance, food, and, of course, plenty of cold beer. The event is one of a lineup of nontraditional marketing activities Heineken has planned to help establish its brand as progressive and different from other mainstream brews.

The space was strategically decorated in Heineken green, from the grass in the foyer to throw pillows emblazoned with slogans like "Never underestimate the power of Cheers." Green lighting and staging from Apex Sound and Lighting also contributed to the effect.

The focus of the event was two-pronged: the introduction of Heineken H2, the new Heineken aluminum bottle, and the debut of a new 60-second TV spot. Once the official business was out of the way, a brigade of green-clad serving girls from Giovanni Model Management appeared to supply the crowd with complimentary beverages. Shortly thereafter, break-dance troupe School of Mayhem took to the floor and displayed moves to mash music provided by DJs Renee, from Black Market, and Andrew Allsgood. Throughout the evening, the restaurant kept the crowd's energy up with trays of sushi and other exotic Japanese foods like deep-fried rice-balls.

—Robyn Small