Heineken and Heineken Light are using mobile as part of multichannel effort to get consumers to stock up on the beer this summer.

The program will run from June -August in retail outlets nationwide and invites consumers to elevate their traditional summer entertaining by hosting a Heineken "Blok" Party. The mobile component asks consumers to enter to win a sweepstakes by texting GREEN to short code 49737.

"The Heineken ?Blok' Party program is true to our brand objective of delivering great beer and great experiences," said Breege Murphy, channel manager at Heineken, White Plains, NY. "And it offers our retail partners a unique new way to generate excitement among consumers through engaging displays and in-store merchandising materials that will help drive purchase of Heineken and Heineken Light."

The sweepstakes will select two winners randomly on July 31.

These individuals will win a block party for no more than 50 guests who are over the age of 21.

The "Blok" Party prize includes live entertainment, top-notch catering and interactive leisure sports, giving them the ultimate "Blok" Party experience to be held in his or her neighborhood on or near Labor Day.

The brewer will not be providing the block parties with beer. The retail value of each party is approximately $50,000.

Contestants can win 59,000 song downloads from the EMusic store.

Winners get their download codes via SMS if they entered the sweepstakes using the channel.

The "Blok Party" sweepstakes is being promoted in liquor stores via advertising which encourages consumers to stock up for summer entertaining at home.

The sweepstakes will also be promoted in supermarkets via cross merchandising offers on party essentials and unique party tips for creating the ultimate "Blok" Party experience.

In-store signage will tell consumers that that the ultimate "Blok" Party can be elevated with Heineken.

Heineken has used mobile before.

The brewer ran a mobile campaign in which it distributed scratch-cards to bar customers. All the scratch-cards asked consumers to text message a keyword to a short code.

Each time a consumer texted in, they were entered to win different prizes. Whether the customer won or not, he or she was opted in to receive a WAP push with Heineken mobile agenda.

This wasn't the first time that a brewer turned to mobile for a promotion.

Irish brewer Guinness held "The Great Guinness Pint Contest," an interactive mobile program meant to engage consumers with the brand.

The program asked consumers at participating businesses to rate their pint of Guinness via their mobile phone. Each time consumers rated their pint they were entered into a sweepstakes in which five winners received a trip for two to the Guinness Brewery in Dublin, Ireland, during the company's 250th anniversary (see story).

"Through a wide range of elements including a consumer sweepstakes for the ultimate ?Blok' Party and cross merchandising offers, the program inspires consumers to make the most of every celebration by choosing the ultimate imported beer brand -- Heineken," Ms. Murphy said.