What You Can Learn From Heineken’s Brilliantly Awkward Marketing Campaign

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According to Deloitte’s July global index, 50% of consumers are concerned about their physical well-being. 59% are concerned about the health and safety of their families. And most consumer preference surveys you’ll find will rank health and safety as the number one priority customers require from brands.

We’re in an awkward intermediary phase of the pandemic, where consumers require these priorities, yet desire a sense of normalcy in everyday life. As I take a look around, I (like millions of other consumers) can’t help but to laugh at the (oxymoronic) abnormal normal in this phase of the pandemic. Heinken captures that relatable feeling in their recent international marketing campaign capped off with their latest commercial.

The ad shows customers wearing masks, awkwardly trying to social distance on the way to the bathroom and forgoing a high five in favor of elbow bumping, perfectly depicting consumers wanting health and safety from businesses, yet regular life and social inclusion.

The call to action at the end is “socialize responsibly to keep bars open,” reminding people not to let safeguarding measures fall by the wayside after a few Heinekens. The beer industry undoubtedly depends heavily on social gatherings, events, bars, etc. which is why they’ve started the trending hashtag at the end of the commercial -#SocialiseResponsibility. It’s a universal feeling between millions of consumers and brands that almost anyone can get behind. Not specifically to keep bars open, but to be as responsible as possible in order to control the pandemic and help both business and consumers get back to regular life – in this case, Heineken.

As seen in Adweek:

“Given the unprecedented circumstances we find ourselves in, we looked at how we can play a part in helping our consumers cope with the current situation, and also specifically on how we can support our on-trade partners to weather the extremely challenging business climate,” said Bram Westenbrink, Heineken senior director of global brand.

“We were inspired by real life experiences that everyone can relate to,” he said. “Whilst the new bar experience can be awkward and may take time getting used to for customers and bar staff, we wanted to celebrate their return and remind people that respecting the new rules is important. After all, there’s one thing better than the first night out: another night out.”

Nearly one-third are now less trustful of brands. In an era when consumer trust in brands, media, advertising, and political agendas and institutions become more skeptical, consumers will continue to become increasingly conscientious, highlighting the importance of empathetic and relatable marketing strategies that resonate with a target audience - ideally through a candid and transparent message.