Ad Review: Heineken’s Back to Bars: Socialize Responsibly Ad
This is the first installment of a series where I plan to review ads that I stumble across. I’m still working on a more sophisticated scoring system but for now let’s establish the rating scale as below. This series is inspired by an awesome Advertising Strategy class I took at Kellogg with Professor Kevin McTigue.
Now I have to admit, as the pandemic slogs on through these beautiful summer months, it’s been more and more difficult to maintain discipline in the mask-wearing, hand-washing, social distancing norms that we are all (hopefully) adhering to. But I do it, and I’ll keep doing it, because it’s the right thing to do for my health and the health of those around me. Still… the situation we’re all in is not the most enjoyable.
That’s why this little ad from Heineken comes as a happy surprise. It made me smile despite the weariness I’ve been feeling. The spot makes light of the uncomfortable interactions we deal with as we socially distance and sends a friendly reminder to “socialize responsibly to keep bars open”.
So yes, the advertisement tickles me and brightened my day, but… why has Heineken dedicated advertising budget to release this campaign, from a business perspective?
I think this ad is partly motivated by Heineken’s desire to gain the trust of the consumer by doing its part to help resolve challenges presented by the pandemic. In my previous post, I wrote about how a brand addresses the pandemic is crucial to earning consumer trust. The ad is certainly a “brand-building” measure to portray themselves as making a positive impact in fighting the pandemic.
That’s not to say this isn’t a totally selfless endeavor for Heineken. Of course, it makes sense that Heineken would want bar patrons to be responsible because, as we’ve seen in some parts of the U.S., failing to socially distance in bars often leads to those bars getting shut down again (which means no more on-premise revenues for Heineken).
The message of this ad is tricky because as a beer brand, Heineken is all about fun, entertainment, and general togetherness. How do you tell your users to “settle down” and maintain 6 feet apart without sounding like a wet blanket? I think Heineken struck just the right balance in terms of tone. It highlights the awkwardness of socially distancing in a comedic, light-hearted way, easing the viewer into a gentle warning to #SocializeResponsibly to keep bars open. In a way, the ad is simply saying: “We get it, this sucks, but do it so we can keep having some fun.” Heineken is aiming to make the audience feel “seen” in terms of the difficulties we are facing (the guy double washing his hands – I feel your pain).
So, I like the strategy and message behind the ad. What about its execution? Is it captivating and distinct? Does it make the customer want to buy Heineken more? My answer: Maybe.
Don’t get me wrong, the ad is memorable and I audibly chuckled. But objectively speaking, I’m not sure if it will necessarily make customers want Heineken over other brands. There is simply no mention of the product or any tangible benefit to the customer… it’s more of a PSA. This is likely a top-of-mind awareness play- where the brand is hoping that customers will remember Heineken as a good steward of society and so they’ll be more inclined to choose Heineken when given the choice. However, this approach is just not that unique as most beer brands are acknowledging these “unprecedented times” as well. Check out Bud Light’s recent “Bud Light Beer Vendor” ad below. Similarly, Bud is encouraging its users to stay home and enjoy the game with the beer they know and love. Now, I don’t personally like this execution more than the Heineken ad. BUT one thing I like more about this particular ad, is that it is highlighting a tangible benefit which is Bud Light delivering directly to your home.
So while I thoroughly enjoyed it and love what Heineken did here, here’s the verdict:
Score: 3.5 (Somewhere between MEH and PRETTY DARN GOOD). Here’s why:
The ad is attention-grabbing and memorable, but not distinct.
It fosters positive associations with the brand, but fails to convey a strong benefit.
The views in this article are purely my own. In no way is this article related to, informed by or endorsed by my employer.