Heineken unveils new global ad campaign – The Odyssey

For the first time in its history, Heineken®, the World’s leading international premium lager beer has changed the way it delivers its Television Commercial (TVC) content as it unveils its latest global ad campaign, ‘The Odyssey’. The new TVC celebrates the premise that every man is legendary at something. The premium beer brand has cast non-actors in its TVC to play the central protagonists.

 

The advert, created by HEINEKEN with Wieden + Kennedy Amsterdam, follows its recent ‘Legends’ platform, which saw a series of ‘Men of the World’ who are pushed to discover their limits and overcome them. However, this is the first time that non-actors have been used in the campaign and given a stage, proving that every man has the ability to become legendary.

 

Premiering in Lagos, Nigeria from 3^rd February 2014, the ad follows the main character’s adventures aboard a cruise ship as he uses his wit, charm and skills to impress his fellow passengers. Covering everything from a limbo contest, to diving perfectly into a swimming pool, to dancing the perfect conga, the advert gives real men a stage on which they can perform their skills.

 

The advert features 20 non-actors, who were cast in an open casting, where their legendary skills were put to the test. The final 20 were picked for being masters at the skills needed for the TVC, for example diving, conga dancing and sliding down banisters.

 

According to Walter Drenth, Marketing Director Nigerian Breweries PLC, “Our Legends campaign is an entertaining homage to our drinkers and their legendary behaviours. We are convinced that many of our drinkers out there have at least one legendary talent. They just need a chance to show it to the world. This is why Heineken decided to offer its next film, The Odyssey, as an opportunity for 20 young men to show us what they’ve got. And they are all legendary.”

 

The advert which is already live on a variety of platforms across broadcast and digital is 90 seconds long, it can be viewed on YouTube along with the casting videos at http://youtu.be/swagm8F4h7k.