Seizing attention by letting customers play with your brand: the case of the new Heineken campaign
Being able to catch customers’ attention may not always be easy – but it is essential. Attention spans are notoriously short, and competition is notoriously tough across the Caribbean. The question thus becomes how to get ahead of the competition, and seize customer interest. Presenting your brand in an innovative fashion is undoubtedly important. Innovation, however, requires strategy, planning and vision; all of which starts with a simple idea. The ‘simple’ idea that Heineken has recently come up with is to entice its customers by letting them play with its brand.
The basics of the new Heineken ‘
Heineken has recently launched its brand new HR campaign, entitled ‘Go Places’. The Giant of beers is back and this time is willing to recruit talented people in a very alternative way. Potential candidates are invited to respond to a short list of questions, each of which have to be answered in three to five seconds during the course of an interactive ‘recruitment music video’.
At the end of the video, each candidate receives his or her personal profile, which must be attached to a CV when applying for a job through the company’s LinkedIn page.
Campaign rationale
With the new campaign, Heineken takes a brilliantly anti-conventional approach to its corporate communications, with the two-pronged objective of simultaneously finding new talented people to join the company whilst promoting its own branding and image.
Given the company’s history, it is no big surprise that Heineken attempts once again to distinguish itself through anti-conventional campaigns. Moreover, Heineken’s desire to innovate is so firmly-rooted in its community that the surprise element has become a pleasant constant for everybody.
What can we learn?
The success of Heineken’s campaign resides in the recruitment prospect with which it lures people into watching its promotional video.
The trick, indeed, resides in the ability of talented illusionists to charm and entertain the spectators while the message is delivered before their eyes.
The campaign is the result of careful strategizing, and well-planned internal communication. More than 600 employees around the world participated in the global campaign, explaining why Heineken is a special place to work. In this context, Heineken employees have become a manifesto for perspective employees and for new breweries, allowing them to see, feel and almost touch what the company is about.
Link to the video: http://goplaces.theheinekencompany.com/en
