Heineken Spreads Holiday Cheer Through Ad and Consumer Promotions

Heineken has launched the third commercial in their global marketing campaign “There’s more behind the star,” spreading holiday cheer in a hilarious way with spokesperson and world-renowned actor Benicio Del Toro. The commercial, which first premiered during The Walking Dead on AMC, invites viewers to discover the authentic heritage and history of an iconic, family-owned brand by taking an honest look at the age-old tradition of gift giving.

In the spot, Del Toro finds himself in conspicuous situations that force him to showcase his range of acting skills as he opens unique gifts from his family—from an ugly sweater to an electric mixer—none of which can stand up to the gift of an ice-cold Heineken.

“Heineken has been family-owned since 1873 so celebrating family traditions, especially around the holiday, is core to our culture.” says Ralph Rijks, vice president at Heineken. “With this commercial, our family invites yours to take a moment, have a laugh, and enjoy Heineken with your loved ones this season.”

A series of consumer promotions will launch to coincide with the campaign. Visitors to the Heineken website will be able to send their friends, family and co-workers comical holiday e-cards, entering them to win a $100 Uber gift card, or can simply download a Heineken holiday promotional offer. Further, in partnership with Shazam, consumers are invited to scan their Heineken holiday packs to seamlessly enter a retail experience that offers endless holiday savings for family and friends. 

Debuting in February 2016, the “There’s more behind the star” campaign launched in 70-plus markets globally in both English and Spanish and focuses squarely on the beer, the brand’s rich heritage and Heineken’s international footprint. The commercials were created by Publicis Worldwide and filmed in a variety of locations in Barcelona.