The Heineken brand, to remain a socially responsible company, marked the year with campaigns aimed at sustaining responsible drinking. Using entertainment as the vehicle to drive its global moderation movement, “Dance More, Drink Slow”, the brand ended the campaign with a Green Light Party. ADEDEJI ADEMIGBUJI reviews how the brand is riding on such a platform to enhance new drinking culture among consumers.
The outgoing year remains a challenging one for many brands in the brewery industry. The competition and the regulation follow a narrative of a man that is asked to walk on crates of eggs with an order not to break any. This, to industry players, means that in an attempt to enhance higher sales volume, brand owners must also self-regulate by entrenching the “Drink Responsibly” campaigns in their marketing communication.
But a savvy team of brand managers has survived the hurdles and recorded successful campaign in the year under review. However, for the handler of the Heineken brand, 2014 remains important. As a global brand, the need to ensure that its “Dance More, Drink Slow” reaches every market where the brand is being sold remains sacrosanct in its self-regulation drive, beyond deepening market share.
Little wonder, the brand thrilled the consumers in the outgoing year with a global “Dance More, Drink Slowly” campaign that is tailored in Nigeria with an activation tagged ‘Heineken Green Light Party’- a strong engagement tool to make consumers comply with the core message – Drink Responsibly at night parties using world acclaimed DJs.
It is part of the Heineken global moderation movement, in partnership with the world-renowned Dutch DJ Armin van Buuren. The Heineken Green Light series, which has already won critical acclaim, is another step at using music, through the best DJs from around the world, to create a movement that will resonate among young Nigerians.
The ‘Dance More, Drink Slow’ campaign during the year shows how nights are enjoyed more when consumers are in control. “This initiative is part of our long-term commitment to tackle the misuse of alcohol, including our pledge to use our flagship Heineken brand to help make moderate consumption aspirational,” the brand handlers explained.
Meanwhile, this is the first global responsible drinking campaign to target consumers on and around the dance floor. Using Armin van Buuren as the face and sound of the campaign with his sound track, ‘Save My Night’ it was developed exclusively for Heineken with a clear invitation to consume alcohol moderately and enjoy the evening. “The moderation message is simple: stay in control and you can enjoy your night more,” the brand handlers said.
The campaign is also being brought to life through ‘The Experiment’, a film featuring Armin van Buuren. The social experiment focuses on two separate nights out in the same club in Miami with the only difference being the DJ. The film demonstrates the influence a DJ has on consumers to change their behaviour to dance more and consequently drink slow. ‘The Experiment’ demonstrates the exciting possibilities that naturally occur on a night out when drinking responsibly.
Beyond the night life, the partnership with Armin van Buuren also ensured that those who do not have a night live get the message via social media (#DMDS on Twitter and Facebook), the campaign video (‘The Experiment) and the song itself to reach a global audience throughout the year. “The reason I have partnered with Heineken® on ‘Dance More, Drink Slow’ is because we have a fantastic opportunity, and responsibility, to connect with our audience and affect behaviour change, We believe that showing positive drinking behaviour and providing consumers with aspirational examples over time will help us to encourage a change in attitude towards moderate drinking. Through ‘Dance More, Drink Slow’ we want to change perceptions so that drinking in moderation becomes the cool option,” says Armin van Buuren.
The experiment at local markets
“Heineken employees are ambassadors for our responsible consumption agenda and, around the world, many markets have developed tailored activations to spread the message locally,” a statement on Heineken website stated. Hence, since the Armin van Buuren was signed on as the face and sound of the campaign, he visited over 40 countries but the climax of the campaign in Nigeria was last week when the famous UK Hip-Hop DJ, Tim Westwood and notable Nigerian celebrities came out to identify with Nigerian consumers at the Heineken Green Light party, which is the experiential package to deepen the ‘Dance More, Drink Slow’ campaign. The brand thus hosted numerous A-list celebrities such as Alex Okosi, Sound Sultan and D’Prince to a night of local and international music courtesy DJ Tim Westwood and Nigeria’s DJ Xclusive. At the party, consumers relished the memorable gigs and performances, but the climax of them all was a surprise performance by the Kroyman robot. The 8ft 11 inches robot stormed the dance hall for a short while with electrifying dance moves to the awe and amazement of clubbers.
The last Green Light party for this year served as a perfect climax, for the series of club nights, which had earlier seen DJ Benny D and DJ Babey Drew perform at Club Escape and Spice Route. Earlier, precisely on October 24, Nigerian A-list celebrities had come out to party through the same platform at Spice Route, a club on Victoria Island, Lagos, where the likes of Chris Brown’s official DJ, Babey Drew entrench the ‘Dance More, Drink Slow’ campaign. Consumers also enjoyed the message from top artists like 2Face Idibia and his wife, Annie, Sound Sultan, DJ Xclusive, DJ Spinall, DJ Humility and Kaylah of Cool FM. Others are; Wale Ojo, Sasha P, DJ Caise, Kessiana Edewor and Shade Ladipo.
And the curtain is drawn on Dance More, Drink Slow
‘Dance More, Drink Slow’ is rolled out in more than 20 countries and is supported with series of integrated experiential activities targeting young adults during their nights out. Last Friday, the train of the global campaign passed through the Nigeria market. The Heineken Green Light Party, which kicked off on an exciting note at Club Escape, Victoria Island and other locations, reached its climax at Club Quilox last Friday as Tim Westwood joined homeboy; DJ Xclusive to deliver ‘Dance More, Drink Slow’ spectacular campaign show. The Corporate Affairs Adviser Nigerian Breweries Plc, Kufre Ekanem, said the show was designed to redefine beer culture among Nigeria consumers. “Heineken is passionate about responsible drinking, the brand is at the forefront of the campaign to encourage club goers to adopt positive drinking behavior. The Green Light series, which has won global commendation is another step at using music through the bet DJs from around the world, to create a movement that will resonate with young Nigerians. Already, the brand has proven its worth by bringing into the country two DJs from the US -Benny D and Babey Drew and finally the third DJ, Tim Westwood,” he said.
As it was in the beginning
‘Dance More, Drink Slow’ is part of the brands trademarked ‘Enjoy Heineken Responsibly (EHR),’ which is the global umbrella for Heineken brand responsibility activities, launched in 2004. The EHR logo has been used in commercial messages, including through the Heineken brand’s sport sponsorships, and on packaging around the world. In 2012, nearly eight billion Heineken branded bottles and cans carried the message.
In 2011, it launched the global campaign ‘Sunrise’, spreading the powerful idea to consumers that there are no limits when you know your limits. ‘Sunrise’ has reached more than three million viewers.
“We have made responsible consumption one of our key focus areas within “Brewing a Better Future”, our sustainability strategy. This focus includes a public pledge to use the Heineken® brand to help make moderation aspirational, along with a promise to spend at least 10 per cent of the brand’s marketing budget on responsible consumption messages in 2014. We make a start on delivering this pledge with the launch of this new campaign, and further activations will take place throughout the year in markets all over the world,” a message on Heineken website stated.
Through ‘Dance More, Drink Slow,’ brand analyst believes that the campaign will engender change perceptions towards abuse of beer. “Drinking in moderation will become the cool option, building a positive image for beer. We are excited to launch this conversation and hope it inspires behaviour change – starting with dance floors around the world, but beyond that in people’s everyday choices,” the brand handlers believe.
