Heineken Uncaps ‘Open Your Summer’ Promo

Heineken has revealed details of its "Open Your Summer" program, a 360-degree retail and on-premise activation taking place from May through July, which will feature TV and digital advertising, a mobile consumer engagement platform, limited-edition packaging and a tiered national sweepstakes with daily and grand prizes. The promotion gives adult consumers of drinking age the opportunity to customize, share and realize their ideal summer.

To get things started, Heineken is introducing six limited-edition bottles inspired by the cities they represent: New York, London, Berlin, Amsterdam, Rio de Janeiro and Shanghai. Through July 4, every Heineken lager pack featuring the City Bottle labels will include an under-the-cap code, offering retail shoppers the chance to win top-tier grand prizes and occasion-relevant daily prizes when they visit heineken.com and enter their code.

"People love being outside during the summer and surrounding themselves with family and friends," noted Jonathan Simpson, senior director commercial marketing at White Plains, N.Y.-based Heineken USA. "Heineken's Open Your Summer promotion taps into the energy and excitement of summer's casual gatherings and provides our retail and on-premise partners with a robust program that will engage their customers, increase their register rings and keep them coming back for more."

Added Simpson: "Memorial Day and July 4 are two of the top-five selling weeks of the year for Heineken and total beer. During this period, loyal upscale Heineken shoppers in the grocery channel make more trips and spend more on Heineken compared to other top imports and crafts. For retailers, Heineken delivers almost double the true profit versus the upscale competition, making Heineken the brand to promote during the summer period. Our Open Your Summer Program stands apart from the clutter by allowing consumers to choose their own daily prizes from a perfectly paired gallery of options. It's a personal touch designed to enhance their summer and keep them engaged throughout the promotion."

"Savor Your Summer," phase two of Heineken's seasonal promotion, will debut in the next few months.