Direct mail case study: Heineken gets cold and bold

Heineken launched its latest innovation, Heineken Extra Cold, in Singapore in April.

Created by Heineken’s award-winning technology for innovation, Heineken Extra Cold serves its signature Heineken draught beer at subzero levels for a truly invigorating and extra refreshing experience until the last sip – perfect for Singapore’s year-round summer heat.

Tapped as a smooth draught from its new and innovative frozen draught column, straight into a super chilled glass, Heineken Extra Cold is served at an impressive -3°C to +1°C for an optimum subzero Heineken experience.

To kick-start the launch in Singapore, Heineken organised an exclusive media-only preview at one of Heineken’s partnered outlets, Kyo. Converting the club into a laboratory experimenting with subzero temperatures for one night only, invitations were sent out before the media preview to give media and bloggers a teaser on what was to come.

To create suspense for the launch, Heineken ensured the Singapore media beat the city heat with a rather cool invitation to its subterranean Extra Cold laboratory, so cold the invitations were frozen in a block of ice and invitees had to “unlock” their invitations by literally breaking the ice to retrieve their invite.

Delivered in a sealed and insulated specimen box, adorned with authentic temperature warning labels and stickers, this media kit was the perfect way to invite them to the media launch of Heineken Extra Cold in Singapore. This is, after all, a beer engineered to remain below the freezing point, and to remain crisp, clean and smooth to the very last drop.

In true Heineken style, the media kit was innovative and focused on consumer engagement making it a big hit with invitees who shared their opening and ice-breaking videos on their social media accounts.

• Objectives

To create suspense for the launch and invite media and bloggers to the media launch of Heineken Extra Cold in Singapore.

• Target audience

The media invite was directed at mainstream media – from print to online – and bloggers.

• What was the result?

This resulted in Heineken reaching out to an audience of 1.5 million via social media, and a 92% attendance rate for the media event. During the two-hour event, images were posted online and received a total of 20,448 likes through social media accounts of key Singapore media and bloggers.

The writer is Errol Tan, creative group head – iris Worldwide.

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