Heineken turns Keong Saik into a three-storey afterwork escape

Heineken is turning afterwork drinking into a full-blown experience with the launch of "First sip house", a three-storey pop-up designed to get CBD workers to rethink the moment they clock out. The activation runs from 7 to 16 May 2026 at Keong Saik Road, positioning itself as an afterwork destination where the first sip sets the tone for the night.

In conversation with MARKETING-INTERACTIVE, Gemma Goh, marketing manager at Heineken Singapore, said the concept was built around a simple behavioural shift at the end of the workday.

“At Heineken, we believe the best part of the day often starts with that very first sip after work. First Sip House was created to champion a more refreshing afterwork culture in Singapore by rewarding those who put their First Sip First,” she said.

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She added that the format also gives the brand a more immersive way to express its pure malt, premium quality positioning, moving beyond messaging into experience-led storytelling.

“Rather than telling people about pure malt as a key ingredient behind Heineken’s premium quality taste, we wanted them to experience it firsthand through curated beertails, food pairings, and more,” she said.

The concept follows a recent CBD stunt by Heineken where the brand brought the “first sip forward” through a surprise elevator activation targeting office workers. "First sip house" builds on that idea, stretching it into a physical space that encourages guests to prioritise their first beer over their final email.

Goh said the “first sip” moment was chosen because it is a universal end-of-day ritual that combines anticipation and release.

“It’s that moment after a long day when you can finally switch off and ease into the evening. What makes it so satisfying is often the anticipation leading up to it, making that first sip feel both physically and mentally refreshing,” she said. “For Heineken, our consistently high quality and refreshing taste is what gives us the confidence to own that first sip moment.”

Entry is free for guests aged 18 and above, with the experience centred on Heineken’s pure malt, premium quality proposition. Visitors can move through curated food, drink and experiential zones designed to make afterwork feel more intentional, social and immersive.

At the core of the pop-up is the "First sip bar", where award-winning mixologist June Baek and culinary creator Justin Hammond return with a new menu of four pairing experiences.

The concept leans into intentional incompletion, with chefs stepping away mid-prep for their own afterwork drink, leaving guests to finish the dishes themselves.

Pairings range from tuna tartare with pure malt crostini matched with a Heineken Original and Omija berry soju bomb, to a mushroom parfait with malt caramel paired with a grapefruit and ginger Heineken Silver spritz.

Other highlights include malted peanut butter soba with a layered malt sour, as well as slow-cooked beef short rib tacos paired with a customisable michelada (Mexican cocktail).

Beyond food and drink, the experience expands into interactive zones built around social play and participation. "Star tap" turns networking into a gamified activity where wristband taps unlock rewards and leaderboard rankings, while "Art jam" offers a free-form creative space for guests to build personalised graffiti-style pieces without rules or structure.

The "Pourfection lounge" shifts focus to craft, where guests are guided through a five-step perfect pour led by draught masters. Participants also get early access to the StarMark glass, a precision-designed glass aimed at enhancing aroma, carbonation and flavour, with successful pourers taking one home while stocks last.

Goh said the pop-up also plays a bigger role in shaping how the brand understands engagement beyond traditional metrics. Since opening on 7 May, "First sip house" has been fully booked daily, which she said is notable at a time when consumers are generally going out less. She also pointed to repeat visitation trends from earlier editions of the brand’s experiential pop-ups.

“That tells me something more meaningful than any metric: we are not just driving Heineken’s quality credentials or showcasing what it means to have a refreshing social life afterwork. We are actually shaping behaviour through brand experiences,” she said.

Beyond attendance, Heineken is tracking organic conversations, earned media impact and brand health scores, while also using insights from the activation to inform its broader Afterwork by Heineken platform.

Across social and digital channels, Heineken has leaned on creator partnerships, lifestyle media engagement and social-first storytelling to extend the campaign, alongside exclusive previews for media, KOLs and content creators. Looking ahead, Goh said the format has potential to scale beyond Singapore.

“The core insight behind the campaign is something many people can relate to,” she said. “While social habits and nightlife scenes may differ from market to market, the desire to switch off, connect with friends and enjoy a refreshing afterwork moment is universal.”

The brand has also been experimenting with city-based experiential formats in other markets recently. In Seoul last year, Heineken rolled out "Rooftop revival", a campaign that transformed unused urban rooftops into social hubs to address what it called the “proximity paradox” of city life, where people live close together but still feel disconnected.

Created by LePub, the activation used satellite imagery to reveal rooftop event locations marked with Heineken’s red star, drawing more than 8,000 applicants. Experiences included a K-pop set by SEVENTEEN’s DINO, a design workshop with artist Cha Inchul, and an interactive tasting led by chef Cho SeoHyeoung.

Each event centred on a red star Pyeong-sang, a modern take on a traditional Korean communal platform redesigned with built-in icebox storage and Bluetooth speakers.

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