Heineken Laos refreshes Namkhong with bold new identity inspired by the Mekong

Heineken Laos has unveiled a full brand and packaging refresh for Namkhong, its mainstream beer brand, in a bid to appeal to younger, urban drinkers.

Designed by Lonsdale Asia, the new look repositions Namkhong around the Lao spirit of 'sabai sabai' — being comfortable, relaxed, and joyfully at ease — while retaining its cultural roots.

Historically more popular in rural regions, Namkhong is now seeking growth in an increasingly competitive market dominated by both local and international players. Named after the Mekong River, the brand’s new design celebrates “life’s journey” and “going with the flow,” with visual elements that travel fluidly across cans, bottles, and cartons.

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The refreshed wordmark features wave details inspired by the river, adding a sense of motion to its clean, modern typography. Namkhong’s signature boat icon has also evolved, shifting from a depiction of a race to a more joyful scene of friends rowing together, embodying camaraderie and ease.

A deep, river-inspired blue now defines the brand’s visual identity, delivering strong shelf impact amid the greens and yellows typical of the beer category. The cartons, redesigned as solid blue blocks, act as visual beacons across retail environments while reinforcing brand consistency.

“Redesigning Namkhong was all about telling the story of Laos’ most important river in a bold, confident, and modern way,” said Katrina Crescenzo, associate creative director at Lonsdale Asia.

“Working with Heineken Lao Brewery, we also got to tell a David and Goliath story — helping an underdog brand stand tall against powerful brands. The end goal is a unified identity and pack system that’s instantly legible at shelf, culturally resonant, and effortless to share in social settings, positioning Namkhong as the natural choice for those sabai sabai moments," added Crescenzo. 

The Namkhong refresh comes as part of Heineken’s broader push across Asia to strengthen local relevance through culturally rooted storytelling. In Seoul, the brewer recently launched “Rooftop Revival”, a campaign by LePub that transformed unused rooftops into social hubs to address the “proximity paradox” of city life where people live close together yet remain isolated.

More than 8,000 residents signed up for the series of rooftop events, which featured performances by SEVENTEEN’s DINO, workshops by artist Cha Inchul, and tastings led by chef Cho SeoHyeoung. Each activation centred around the red star Pyeong-sang, a modern reinterpretation of Korea’s communal platform designed to foster connection and shared experiences.

Meanwhile in Jakarta, Heineken is reclaiming afterwork hours with “Ahhh-fterwork”, a multisensory campaign celebrating the simple pleasure of winding down. Built around insights from The Weekender 2024, which found that over half of Greater Jakarta’s workforce endures long commutes and late nights, the campaign invites office workers to pause, reconnect, and savour the moment.

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