The Brief

1. Support the Japanese launch of the new Heineken bottle, and to promote bottle drinking culture. 2. Maximize exposure of the new Heineken bottle to the desired target audience. 3. Have Japanese opinion leaders experience the Heineken brand as it is intended to be: premium, innovative, and progressive.

Describe how the promotion developed from concept to implementation

Concept: Create a place where the target audience can experience Heineken World in a premium and fashionable environment. Implementation: To open a pop-up bar/lounge for a limited period, called “Heineken Star Lounge,” which was open from the 19th of April until the 25th of May. (the pre-opening party was held on April 18th.) The widely renowned architecture firm, Klein Dytham architecture collaborating with UltraSuperNew, a former shopping mall that was about to get demolished was created into a space that would make any brand the talk of the town in a mere 10 weeks.

Describe the success of the promotion with both client and consumer including some quantifiable results

A total of 15,300 Heineken bottles were sold in 5 weeks, making Star Lounge No. 1 in bottle sales amongst all on-premise venues in Japan. 90% of visitors felt that Heineken was premium, innovative, progressive, cool and unique. 85% of the guests expressed a desire to purchase the new bottle in the future. Approximately 9,000 opinion leaders attended the events and enjoyed bottle-drinking. National coverage on 5 television stations, 129 pick-ups on major websites, radio and print media. 11.5M Twitter impressions and 1.2M blog impressions. 1,034,576€ of free media exposure! Total reach of 30,000,000 people in Japan.

Explain why the method of promotion was most relevant to the product or service

The venue was nestled right in the heart of Harajuku and Omotesando, where the world’s most high-end brands such as Gucci, Armani, Louis Vuitton and BLGARI call home. The area is also considered as the centre of ever changing Tokyo culture in fashion and art. Standing in a unique mix of luxury, fashion, and an emerging culture that is appreciated worldwide, it made for a highly desirable and fitting location for the venue.