Left on the table, remembered in our hearts: Heineken’s winning campaign

On International Beer Day, Dutch brand Heineken released a global campaign that deviated from the typical beer commercial. Rather than build anticipation for the first sip of a cold Heineken, their “You Can Forget About Beer” campaign shows half-filled Heineken bottles left behind on counter tops.

Known as a brand that champions social interaction and living in the moment, the ad’s message perfectly aligns with the brand’s values. Specifically, Heineken tells its audience that the beer is not as important as its ability to bring people together.

In the video clip below, Clair de Lune plays as the camera zooms in on a series of ‘forgotten’ Heinekens. As people laugh, smile, play foosball, and kiss, the focus is increasingly placed on the lonely Heineken bottles.

The clip ends with the line, “The best part of having a beer isn’t the beer.” This stresses the idea that Heineken sells a moment or feeling, not just an alcoholic beverage.

Did this advertising strategy resonate with Heineken’s Dutch audience? To determine this, we specifically looked at brand data from Heineken’s target market – Dutch adults between the ages of 18-35.

Young Consumers Increasingly Recommend Heineken Post-Campaign

Using data from QuestBrand by The Harris Poll, we examined the impact of Heineken’s advertisement on consumer brand perception. Figure 1 below shows how Heineken’s sales conversion funnel changed after the campaign launch among Dutch adults ages 18-35.

A sales conversion funnel tracks potential customers through the purchase journey, from initial brand awareness through to their decision to purchase and recommend the brand to others.

After the campaign launch, Dutch adults aged 18-35 years old more often said that they would “recommend” (+7.7) the Heineken brand. The relatively stagnant metrics of “awareness” and “familiarity” may suggest that Heineken has already achieved widespread brand recognition in the Netherlands. Instead, the beer brand can focus its full attention on maximizing brand usage and advocacy. 

Heineken’s Sales Conversion Funnel – Pre vs Post Campaign Launch

Figure 1. QuestBrand. Base: Adults in the Netherlands, ages 18-35. Pre: 3/1/24-8/1/24, n=632. Post: 8/2/24-10/29/14, n=329. 

The way that consumers describe the Heineken brand also shifted after the ad launch. Post-launch, young Dutch adults more often described Heineken as “Premium” (+5.3), “Practical” (+4.8), “Bold” (+4.5), and “Smart” (+4.4) (Figure 2).

Heineken’s Brand Attributes – Pre vs Post Campaign Launch

Figure 2. QuestBrand. Base: Adults in the Netherlands, ages 18-35. Pre: 3/1/24-8/1/24, n=632. Post: 8/2/24-10/29/14, n=329. 

This data underscores the importance of connecting with consumers beyond the face value of a product.

With this campaign, Heineken effectively shifted consumers’ brand perception. Rather than just seeing Heineken as an alcoholic beverage, the brand became something that fosters human connection and builds lasting memories. This allowed Heineken to deepen their connection with their target audience, accelerate brand advocacy, and positively shift the way consumers view their brand.