Those clever chaps at Heineken have done it again. Not content with using science for the greater good of mankind (brewing beer), they have now launched an exciting social media campaign.

@wherenext launched last month to help global urbanites plan their nights out directly from Twitter using real-time location-based social activity to recommend where they should go next.

Heineken's Where Next campaign helps users work out where to go next on a night out

Aimed squarely at ‘contemporary men’, the key words here are “plan” and “real-time”. From experience, big nights out have a tendency to evolve on the hoof; even more so when only a flimsy plan of action exists in the first place, and when coupled with the spontaneity of youth and the fear of missing out on something better elsewhere.  We know that today, going anywhere without a mobile device is akin to leaving the house naked and at Cheil, our mantra is that people are constantly searching, shopping and sharing. Because they are.

Brands need to work much harder today to connect with demanding consumers who are increasingly skeptical of big companies, and take only what they want from brands. Heineken has been clever, tapping into existing audience behaviour (using an algorithm based on tweets, check-ins and photos that are trending across social networks) to suggest night spots that are buzzing right now, and not only bars that stock its product or who have historically been considered to be cool.

Further interest and usefulness is provided in the form of a mobile responsive site which can also be accessed for a closer look at the suggested night-spots, including a local heat map and live Instagram imagery for each venue. All this adds a little bit of science-magic to the user experience, and gives blokes the feel of being rather tech-savvy and in the know.

In previous campaigns Heineken has established its credentials in getting the party started – only last year it introduced Ignite illuminated bottles with light chips that can be programmed to pulse to music in a club. @wherenext uses the provision of branded utilities to extend the party, and in so-doing firmly establish the role for the brand in its audience’s lives.

So what can retail learn from this?

It is vital for brands to become part of the consumer experience in a credible way, and one which serves their best interests. It is no longer enough to merely broadcast to your audience and hope that they remember you in the crucial moment when they are deciding what to buy. Show them that you “get” them in order to earn a place in their mind set and gain their consideration. Becoming a “lighthouse” brand helps people to navigate and being front of mind at shelf (or in the case, standing at the bar) drives purchase intent and will boost conversion.

 

 

 

  • Matt Pye is chief operating officer at advertising and marketing agency Cheil UK