Heineken doesn't sell beer, we sell good times. This means social connection, memorable moments, and drinks anyone can enjoy, including those without alcohol. Unfortunately, 79% of non-alcoholic beverages are consumed at home alone. This meant many bars wouldn’t carry Heineken 0.0 because they felt there was no demand, and those who did serve it weren’t seeing good sales results. This effect only got worse during the annual sober month of ‘Dry Jan’. Heineken 0.0 had a problem it was uniquely qualified to solve: Prove that alcohol-free isn’t fun-free.

The brief was simple: elevate Heineken 0.0 to ‘night out status’ during a month where everyone wants to stay in. Our objective was to reinvigorate January nights out and increase both on and off-premise sales for Heineken 0.0.

Charter a Heineken 0.0 branded streetcarbar and bring the good times to the people. We created a custom route that travelled to our target consumers' neighbourhoods and shuttled them from a boring night on the couch directly to Toronto’s nightlife hotspots. To get them there, we transformed an iconic Toronto streetcar into a mobile bar stocked with Heineken 0.0, fully wrapped and lit in our branding with live local DJs mixing tracks. Once dropped off, our passengers received free entry, line bypass, and free samples of Heineken 0.0 all night at our partner bars.

We had to make it easier to access sober good times so there was no excuse to stay in. Some of the barriers we needed to address included: Not wanting to spend money after an expensive holiday season, not wanting to line up in the cold weather, and not wanting to commute and leave the comfort of our target’s homes. Since most nights out in Toronto start on the public transit system, it was the perfect activation platform for our campaign. We chartered a streetcar where we brought the bar to consumers, and the good times started as soon as they got on.

We hosted parties on three consecutive Saturdays, ensuring the action ran all month long. Our Instagram story linked to a live google maps tracker that provided updates so that people could follow the route and get on at the next stop. When not in service as the Saturday Streetbar, the streetcar ran its usual route, with our exterior wrap seeding interest for the event. When commuters got onboard throughout the week they could scan QR codes that invited them to join the party that weekend.

We used bus shelter TSAs, interior streetcar signage, and social media to bring attention to each event. We also amplified the activation with brand ambassadors stationed along our chartered route Thursday and Friday nights who gave out samples of 0.0, inviting people to attend. Influencers documented their experience on the streetbar, and our DJ partners got their fans excited about a unique gig.

Our Streetbar ensured Heineken 0.0 became the cornerstone of Dry January nights out. Each weekend we achieved maximum capacity with line ups in the cold just to get aboard, which is the hallmark of a successful bar in Canada. Route 0.0 shattered expectations, generating 32 million+ earned impressions in a city of 6 million. On average 1 in 3 attendees created content, with 91% following the live route, leading to a 271% spike in Instagram visits MoM. Heineken 0.0 sales increased 72% YoY at the LCBO, one of the largest alcohol retailers in the world, and we saw a 55% rise in on-premise sales YoY in Ontario, with an astonishing 70% YoY growth in downtown Toronto, the campaign's heart. Heineken 0.0’s place in Canadian minds is well on track with a new route to a night out.