How can you not love the Heineken brand? Apart from being one of the most popular brands of beer out there, the Heineken brand is famous for its own resilience and adaptability, always embracing change with open heart and trying to capture the love of many consumers all around the world.
In yet another great partnership with Publicis Italy, Heineken has released the next chapter in its #SocialiseResponsibly series, engaged in celebrating resilience and hope as we all look ahead to reopening a brand new world.
Today we are getting Behind the Idea following a nice chat with Heineken's Global Senior Director of Brand, Bram Westenbrink, to learn more about the story that brought this delightful campaign to life – in just 3 months.
What was the brief?
The brief for this campaign was to develop a story that provides a message of hope for the future that better times are coming. We also wanted to celebrate the resilience of our consumers and all the heroes who have kept the spirit of nightlife alive, within the constraints of lockdowns.
How did the initial pitch/brainstorming phase go?
At Heineken our aim is to tell stories that are relevant and resonate with people. So with this in mind, the brainstorming process was firstly to discover these globally relevant stories of how people have made the mundane, everyday moments of lockdown something unexpected and then turn these stories into something witty and entertaining.
Tell us more about the concept. How did it come to life, and why was it the right choice?
WE’LL MEET AGAIN has a clear message of hope, recognising the strength of consumers, who have used their creativity to keep spirits high after more than a year of the pandemic and associated restrictions.
This campaign celebrates people’s resilience and creativity over the last year and highlights how people found inventive ways to keep the spirit of ‘going out’ alive by turning the mundane tasks into something unique.
We knew WE’LL MEET AGAIN was the right creative choice because it taps into the collective feeling across a number of different markets with a relatable message at the heart.
What was the production process like? What was the biggest challenge?
The WE’LL MEET AGAIN film was directed by award winning film maker François Rousselet and captured in Barcelona, Spain under strict COVID-19 protocols. Ensuring we were COVID compliant was of the upmost importance. Our production team in Barcelona complied with all the local rules, while also working virtually with the creative teams spread all across Europe. This ensured that we had the same high quality creative direction and support that we normally would a live shoot, but just in a virtual way.
What’s the main message of the campaign and why does it matter?
WE’LL MEET AGAIN is a celebration of people’s hope, resilience, and creativity over the last year, as the world has found new ways to keep the spirit of ‘going out’ alive but from the safety of their homes. In many markets its been over a year of restrictions and we feel it’s important to look back on this time and celebrate it with a nod to better times ahead.
What is one unique aspect of the campaign?
We’ve taken the everyday and made it witty and glamourous in a way that resonates with people.
How long did it take from inception to delivery?
We worked in a very agile way, and from development to launch the campaign took 3 months. The quality of the idea and its execution shows that we are capable of delivering inspiring communications even under tough restrictions.
What do you hope it achieves for the brand?
We want this campaign to really resonate with people. For it to be a story that showcases the reality of the last year, in a witty way, and people will look back on in years to come with a smile on their face.
Credit list for the campaign?
HEINEKEN
Sr. Director Global Heineken®️ Brand: Bram Westenbrink
Director Communication Global Heineken Brand: Daniela Iebba
Director Global Digital Heineken Brand: Rob van Griensven
PUBLICIS ITALY & LE PUB
Global Chief Creative Officer Publicis WW: Bruno Bertelli
Chief Creative Officer: Cristiana Boccassini
Global Executive Creative Director: Mihnea Gheorghiu
Global Creative Director: Eoin Sherry
Strategy Director: Daniel Vargas Gomez
Head Of Production: Francesca Zazzera
Producer: Anna Sica
GM LePub/Client Service Director: Eleni Charakleia
Client Service Director: Giada Salerno
Account Director: Dalila Salhi
