THE NEGOTIATION

TitleTHE NEGOTIATION
BrandHEINEKEN ASIA PACIFIC
Product / ServiceHEINEKEN
CategoryA09. Best use or integration of digital or social media
EntrantTEQUILA\SINGAPORE Singapore, SINGAPORE
Entrant Company TEQUILA\SINGAPORE Singapore, SINGAPORE
Contributing Company TEQUILA\SINGAPORE Singapore, SINGAPORE
Production Company ACTIVE TV Singapore, SINGAPORE

Credits

Name Company Position
Joan Leong Activetv Producer
Michael Mckay Activettv Director
Lisa Giffen Tequila\singapore (Tbwa) Tv Producer
Juliette Van Der Burgt Tequila\singapore (Tbwa) Senior Account Manager
Dan Paris Tequila\singapore (Tbwa) Managing Director
Robin Nayak Tequila\singapore (Tbwa) Head Of Strategy
Selwyn Low Tequila\singapore (Tbwa) Copywriter
Justin Leung Tequila\singapore (Tbwa) Art Director
Mel Du Toit Tequila\singapore (Tbwa) Creative Director
Oz Dean Tequila\singapore (Tbwa) Creative Director

The Campaign

In our target markets, Indonesia and Thailand, alcohol advertising is so heavily regulated that it is effectively banned in above-the-line media. As a result, these markets present a challenge in reaching and engaging Heineken’s target audience. The rise of digital media, and especially social media, over recent years has provided a new way to forge a connection with drinkers. However usage patterns in these regions have been influenced by the rapid growth of mobile and wireless infrastructure. As such, the vast majority of social media use is through mobile devices, with Blackberry and Android penetration being especially high. These considerations were especially relevant in our utilisation of Facebook Native Video to encourage viewing and interaction, as the video thumbnail preview is larger on both mobile and desktop platforms to effectively capture our viewers’ attention.

Results

Challenges and Objectives: Restrictions regarding alcohol advertising in our target markets, Indonesia and Thailand, meant there was no chance of above the line communications or sales promotion. Yet we needed to get people talking about Heineken’s UEFA Champions League sponsorship in these target markets. Strategy: Conventionally, the mention of football would conjure glorious imagery that’s out of reach in everyday life - players, trophies, stadiums etc. Instead we disrupted with a topic closer to men’s hearts, and gave them an opportunity to overcome the ultimate challenge - their partner. Insight: While women cannot comprehend their men’s addiction to football, they generally let men have their way as long as it doesn’t cost them anything. Idea: As a brand, Heineken champions ingenuity. So we went about proving that men are just as inventive in getting their way with their football fanaticism even at the expense of something their partners care about. Execution: One thing women are precious about is their home furnishing. So we filmed couples coming across ugly, overpriced stadium seats at a furniture store. And we discreetly challenged men to convince their partners to buy the seats. The first person to succeed would win tickets to the UEFA Champions League Final. To ignite the conversation, we pre-seeded teasing content that suggested what was coming. The interest etched in our audience’s minds enabled our film to capture their attention amidst the barrage of other online content on Facebook.

Before we seeded the film, we seeded the interest. We posted teasers that suggested what was coming. When the film was eventually posted, our audience was primed for the reveal and instinctively drawn to it amidst other online content. Sponsored stories drove initial awareness and were subsequently amplified by organic shares. Unsolicited PR including TV coverage across the USA and football bloggers drove conversations further. More significantly, we ignited our most effective medium out there - couples themselves. Our content struck a chord with not only men, but women too. And it instantly triggered them to start conversations about it.

When we launched, the Negotiation took off immediately. It spread virally both inside the target markets and around the world. With minimal paid media support, we were able to ignite the most effective medium out there - couples themselves. Our content struck a chord with not only men, but women too. Engaging them on a topic they both could relate to naturally triggered them to start conversations and become instant spokespeople of the film. Some key highlights: · 1.5 million online views in Thailand and Indonesia in just 3 days. · Click through rates of over 10% against our target audience. · 111,355 new fans in Thailand and Indonesia. · 4.6 million aggregate views including an estimated 1.3 million based on number of shares from duplicate videos of our content on Facebook. · $18 million in earned media (277 times our investment). · 137,704 shares over Facebook and Twitter. · 2nd most viral branded film over a 7-day period. · Unpaid TV coverage on 64 channels across the USA.