Heineken enlists James Bond to push non-alcoholic beer

Dive Brief:

Dutch beer maker Heineken is promoting its non-alcoholic beer in a new global ad campaign that ties into the upcoming James Bond film, "No Time To Die," the company revealed in a press release.
The ad stars actor Daniel Craig as himself, but he keeps being mistaken for James Bond — the character he plays — until he behaves in ways more associated with a real person as opposed to an action film character, such as stopping to catch his breath from running. At the end of the ad, Craig is seen at a bar drinking Heineken 0.0, the company's alcohol-free beer.
The new spot will air in more than 75 countries in advance of the film's April release. A two-minute version of the ad will also be available online and on social media. The brand will support the push with consumer promotions and limited-edition packaging.

Dive Insight:

Heineken's new campaign comes as fewer consumers are drinking alcoholic beverages during the month of January as part of their New Year's resolutions or for "Dry January."

Dry January is the latest wellness trend among U.S. consumers that have made resolutions to drink less for health reasons, and have committed to putting down the bottle for the month. This sober-curious phenomenon, coupled with the fact that millennials tend to consume less beer means that beer marketers must get creative with their advertising, including pushing a variety of products potentially more appealing to consumers looking for healthier options, such as hard seltzer and low- or no-alcohol drinks.

Molson Coors Beverage Co. recently debuted a "Dry-ish January" campaign promoting a low-alcohol beer Miller64 as an option for drinkers considering reducing their alcoholic consumption. The humorous ad stars actor Nicholas Braun from HBO's "Succession" encouraging viewers to text to get cash back for giving the new beverage a try.

Heineken is a long-running partner with the Bond franchise, and using this relationship to promote a non-alcoholic beer in a major global ad campaign suggests that Heineken 0.0 is not a fringe product but a starring item on the brand's 2020 agenda. Last year, the company saw an unexpected softening of sales in the U.S. market. By putting the spotlight on the non-alcoholic beer, the brand is hoping to capture a wider audience of non-drinkers and people who want to drink less.