This is a Promo&Activation case because Heineken in Greece was in trouble, and we created a campaign to bring back relevance to Heineken in a stressed Greek market AND impact volume immediately. (Result: Campaign Volume: +20.2% / Ad awareness +11% / Worth paying more for +7%)

How did we do it? The second most used expression in Greece today is “It can’t be done” (“Den Ginetai”). We turned this into GINETAI (can-do) and incentivized Greek optimism everywhere. First we changed our name, from the international Heineken to the local nickname ‘Prasini’. Then we bought the nation a round; during one day all who ordered a Heineken received a complimentary Prasini.

Everybody got on board to boost GINETAI-thinking; from a radio station changing their name, to a famous artist re-recording their hit-song, to delivering ice-cold beers with a drone to a thirsty crowd at a music festival.

To inspire Heineken-drinkers we started with our own act of Ginetai by changing Heineken’s name to its Greek nickname: Prasini (‘little green one’).

Then we bought the nation a round - during one day all who ordered a Heineken received a complimentary Prasini.

Brand ambassadors boasted Ginetai thinking further, the biggest rock station REDfm turned into GREENfm and famous Greek singer Antonis Remos re-recorded his traditional ‘Den Ginetai’ as funky ‘Ginetai’ Summer-version. We even delivered ice-cold beers with a drone to a thirsty crowd at the Ejekt Music Festival.

Additionally outdoor, print, radio and social media supported the THINK GINETAI-movement.

By THINKING GINETAI we turned Heineken’s internationalism into a positive value again, found a credible way to regain the trust of Greek society, inspired a new cultural movement, changed Heineken’s name to Prasini, and started to reverse a double-digit sales decline, all in the middle of the deepest recession for generations.

Campaign Volume: +20.2% – positive difference moving from -28.9% campaign period 2013 to -8.6% in 2014

Ad awareness +11%

Worth paying more for +7%

Overall reach 84%.

Plus the Prasini giveaway reach of 500k consumers.