Dive Brief:
- Heineken teamed with National Geographic on a branded content partnership, "A Wild Lager Story," that details the history behind its new H41 Wild Lager, according to news shared with Marketing Dive. H41 is a limited-edition beer made from rare wild yeast discovered in Patagonia in 2010.
- The campaign includes a three-minute mini-documentary that takes viewers to Patagonia to retrace the steps that led to H41. The film follows biologist Diego Libkind, who discovered the yeast, and Willem van Waesberghe, Heineken's global master brewer, as they share the story of the discovery and explain how they created a new category of beer.
- "A Wild Lager Story" and the accompanying film is housed on a branded article page on Nat Geo's site. The effort also includes social, digital and linear edits that depict different parts of the narrative tailored for individual platforms.
Dive Insight:
By partnering with Nat Geo, Heineken is putting a narrative-led push behind its new H41 offering, including through short-form documentary content. Heineken is also aiming to link its brand image with the sense of adventure and discovery Nat Geo stakes its claim in.
In highlighting the unique origins of the ingredients in its latest brew, Heineken might connect with younger consumers like millennials, who care more about where their foods and drinks come from but are drinking staple beer brands less frequently in favor of wines and spirits. The campaign is part of the marketer's efforts to promote more of a "world view" that steps outside boundaries — an initiative undertaken by Heineken USA's new CMO Jonnie Cahill, who joined the brand earlier this year.
"A Wild Lager Story" also reflects Heineken's broader strategy of shifting advertising spend from TV to digital platforms to broaden its reach, a move the company announced last year. More marketers are investing in longer-form digital video, like documentaries, which can attract younger audiences and generate higher levels of awareness, familiarity, engagement and purchase intent.
Nat Geo, perhaps best known for its longstanding print magazine, has been ramping up its digital offerings to draw new generations of readers and revenue sources as well. The partnership with Heineken reflects a recent collaboration with Coors Light that launched in July. "My Next" followed two National Geographic explorers and film crews on adventures in Costa Rica and Iceland through documentaries, interactive maps and photo journals.
