Directed by Toby Dye, the commercial started with a question: “Can two strangers with opposing views prove that there’s more that unites than divides us?”

The commercial featured six British people with different political and social views. These six people, who were not actors, were divided into pairs. They were given the task of assembling a stool and then a bar table. The three teams were required to work together in a warehouse. In essence, the advert was divided into five parts namely the Introduction, Ice Breaker, Q &A, Bridge Building, and the Decision.

Marketing Case Studies | Case Study in Management, Operations, Strategies, Business Environment, Case Studies

PayPal (7 USD)

CRACK OPEN THE ADVERT

The four-minute advert was released organically online in the UK on April 20, 2017. It was released on social media so as to optimize it for each individual social media platform. For instance, on Facebook , the company launched a Chatbot that connected likeminded people from diverse backgrounds, while on Twitter the advert targeted newsworthy content that was likely to initiate a fierce debate.

CHEERS TO THE ADVERT

Traditionally, most beverage advertisements focused on the fun experiences of the consumers, social drinking with friends, and even responsible drinking. The Heineken advert was groundbreaking because it brought in the element that serious political, social, and cultural topics could be discussed over a beer. Analysts opined that the concept of the advert had been backed by a well-researched idea called the contact theory which postulated that groups from different backgrounds can increase tolerance through a meaningful conversation.

BRICKBATS

However, some behavioral experts observed that for vulnerable people to engage in a debate with people who did not empathize with their origin and cause would be pointless. And a debate would not change the problems and biases such vulnerable people faced. They felt debates were not really useful.

EXHIBITS

Exhibit I: A Few Selected Campaigns at Heineken
Exhibit II: Message on the Bottle
Exhibit III: Key Financials of Heineken