The Drum Awards for Marketing - Extended Deadline

-d -h -min -sec

Heineken Desperados

Desperados turns focus back on tequila in latest refresh as competition heats up

Author

By Natalie Mortimer, N/A

April 18, 2016 | 3 min read

Desperados has launched a new global marketing campaign and identity refresh that centres on the tequila used in its beer, as the Heineken-owned brand hopes to differentiate from the increasing amount of spirit-flavoured beers that are being released in the market.

The new campaign is the first created by recently appointed communications agency We Are Pi, and is a marked departure from last year’s activity which saw Desperados introduce a new global brand tone that focused on ‘Way of Desperados’.

The new activity, however, has been created to “reconnect” with what makes Desperados unique, which is the use of tequila in its product, Anna Bizon, global brand director, Desperados, told The Drum.

“What is different is that we have fully connected much more with the product, this is absolutely our unique selling point, which is a key driver of the brand,” she said. “We maybe didn’t build enough on it in the past, when you look at the beer category you have a lot of spirit beer brands in the market, [but] we are not beer with rum, we are not beer with vodka, Desperados is beer flavoured with tequila spirit and every line extension, everything has always started with tequila.”

The ‘Release Your Inner Tequila’ campaign is built around music and based on a number of experiences, each with the aim of encouraging music experimentation, as part of Desperados’ new strategy of “celebrating the unconventional spirits who dare to do things differently,” added Bizon.

The first activation is a film called ‘House Party Plugged’ and sees Desperados partner with UK based DJ/music producer Riton and techno street-drummer Dario Rossi for a house party with a difference. The film captures a party where the house and its everyday contents have been wired to become electronic musical instruments. These are played by the partygoers, remixing Riton’s song ‘Rinse and Repeat’.

A online platform has been created where the film and behind the scenes footage will form the basis of digital activity. Further music-related activity will be released in June as well limited edition versions of Desperados itself.

To accompany the new focus the beer brand has also refreshed its brand identity and packaging to hero the tequila in the drink. The new look includes “ad-hoc brush strokes” with Desperados’ green, red and yellow brand colours further strengthened.

Heineken Desperados

More from Heineken

View all

Trending

Industry insights

View all
Add your own content +