HEINEKEN | THE ENTRANCE | 2011
Why Does Simply Walking Into a Party Get People So Hyped Up? / HEINEKEN "THE ENTRANCE"
The main character walks into a party — that's it, and somehow it holds your attention for three full minutes. In 2011, this felt like the moment beer ads leveled up.
The problem
Heineken's campaign, made with Wieden+Kennedy Amsterdam, shifted the focus away from the beer itself and toward the person drinking it. The guiding idea was "Be a Man of the World," with the tagline "Open Your World." The goal was to put forward a confident character who'd feel at home anywhere in the world.
The insight
The aim was to communicate quality through "surprising, legendary behavior." Not guys toasting at a bar, not sports-watching — the themes here were sophistication, adventure, and humor. At its core, it taps into something everyone feels: the wish to be like that person.
The idea
The main character walks into what looks like an embassy party and acts as if he already knows everyone there. He returns a lost glass eye to a general, hints at an old romance with someone else. The camera follows him in what appears to be one continuous shot, Heineken's green is woven throughout the visuals, and The Asteroids Galaxy Tour's "The Golden Age" runs through the whole thing. It was released in multiple lengths from 90 seconds down to 30 seconds, and eleven short films were also released, each filling in the backstory of a different character. It was directed by Fredrik Bond and produced by Sonny London.
What happened
Within a few months of release it reached 35 million views, and "The Entrance" on its own passed 4 million views within three weeks of release. Brand preference rose 23% in Europe, while awareness jumped 40% in Brazil and India. At Cannes Lions 2011 it won Gold and Bronze in Film, Gold in Direction, and more, along with wins at Clios and Effies. YouTube filled up with parodies, and it even became a Halloween costume idea.
Afterthought
Just "entering" a room becomes a whole drama — and it stays entertaining for all three minutes. The moment you walk into the room, everyone already knows you — Heineken pulled off that whole scenario in a single ad. It doesn't feel like they're selling beer so much as selling cool itself. That's the kind of power this had.
Awards
- Cannes Lions Gold 2011
