In this commercial, we find Benicio del Toro with a female friend at a bar. He describes one of the Heineken family’s special gifts – that they have passed down an original recipe with only three ingredients, and all of those ingredients are natural. Describing Heineken’s special gift inspires Benicio to reveal his own special gift. Benicio lowers his head, summons something from within and then raises his head. A single tear falls from Benicio’s eye and rolls down his cheek. Benicio tells his companion that his gift is the ability to cry on demand. She and the barman are both astounded at his talent. The final outtake is that both Heineken and Benicio have very special,– one in making beer, the other in acting.

The campaign takes us into the world behind two stars – Heineken and our spokesperson. Hence, whoever we cast would be integral to the campaign’s success. We needed someone with genuine fame, so that when the comparison to Heineken is made – star to star – it has impact. We also needed someone mysterious enough to spark curiosity about what’s behind his stardom. Additionally, our lead required the acting skill necessary to execute the restrained humor of each script. Finally, since this was a global campaign, we needed someone with international reach. Benicio Del Toro was the perfect fit: An acclaimed Oscar winner with a mysterious aura and powerful presence, he also has a Latin background that gives him international relevance. After choosing the lead, supporting actors were selected to compliment Benicio and the subtle comedy he achieves within each commercial, as well as to best represent the Heineken brand.