Brewer Heineken gave away cans of its 0.0% alcohol-free beer to US-based customers to mark Dry January 2020, the public health alcohol abstention campaign. Customers sign up on a dedicated January Dry Pack website to receive a limited edition white and blue calendar, with one can of beer to open for each day of the month. To make the drink taste similar to ‘regular’ beer Heineken brews its 0.0% drink using the same ingredients, A-yeast and processes as alcoholic beer, before removing the alcohol.
Here are two quick innovation insights that will still apply on February 1:
Ride the wave. Every big trend is grounded in a deep, fundamental human need, and the desire to be a better – healthier, more ethical, smarter – person is something we all aspire to! The past decade has seen an explosive growth in the number of campaigns focused on helping people embrace new habits and tap into a communal sense of purpose: Dry January, Veganuary and Sober October to name just a few! Big lifestyle changes can feel intimidating, but these campaigns allow participants to start with a smaller and more accessible step. If your product or service requires people to change their behavior, then could you tap into a relevant charity campaign in order to introduce it in a way that makes it less intimidating?
Heritage Heresy. Heineken has been brewing beer for over 150 years! But that long history doesn’t mean anything to the millions of people who are looking to reduce their alcohol consumption. It’s been years since we first wrote “brand heritage and story has become at best irrelevant, and at worst an active barrier: one which prevents brands they might engage with from offering a product or service that’s right for them, today.” Thankfully we continue to see brave brands – in all sectors! – embrace the HERITAGE HERESY trend: KLM asking passengers to fly less; a Volvo preventing people driving its vehicles dangerously; Barclays bank blocking people’s spending; Vogue publishing an issue without any photos. Which ‘essential’ elements of your brand clash with new consumer expectations? How will you throw them out?!
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