Heineken UK: Igniting a conversation to grow the brand

Heineken, a beer brand, used YouTube to lead the discussion around a rising social issue in order to build a more meaningful relationship with millennials in the UK.

Background/business challenge

Heineken is famous worldwide, known for premium sponsorships like UEFA Champions League and James Bond.

In the UK, we'd enjoyed double digit growth for the three years leading into 2016. On the surface, things looked good – yet scratch beneath, and the reality was more challenging.

Trouble brewing on two fronts

Heading into 2017, we faced a double threat.

Firstly, resurgent competition within the premium lager category meant penetration was just 2.5%. At 5.1%, Peroni's penetration was over double ours and Stella's nearly five times greater (12.1%).

Secondly, beer was undergoing "premiumisation". This was largely driven by health-conscious...

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