Heineken tackles an enduring problem in culture: drink driving. Moreover, it tackles the pernicious belief that just because someone is a good driver, they make a good choice as a designated driver (even if they’ve been drinking).

Heineken aims to change this behavior leveraging on Max Verstappen and Checo Perez’s global appeal as F1 Champions to remind people that if they’ve been drinking, they should never drive.

Heineken wanted to remind people that the decision of the designated driver should only be based on who’s not drinking, and not according to their driving skills. But how can you prove that If you drink you’re not the best driver? Heineken got the two best drivers on the planet (Max Verstappen and Checo Perez) and made them drink. Showing that even the best drivers in the world aren’t the best if they’ve been drinking. The idea leveraged on their global appeal as F1 Champions to deliver this powerful, yet simple, message.

To broaden awareness of Heineken as a responsible brewer, we needed a compelling way to tell our customers "When You Drive Never Drink." The main barrier: being the designated driver is not easy. Enduring the whole event without drinking while watching everyone else is not for everyone.

Through research, we found that 40% of designated drivers were still drinking – and that people were still choosing to ride with them (having chosen them for arbitrary reasons, e.g. ‘because they’re good drivers’). We needed to combat this. We did it by showing that even the best drivers in the world (Max & Checo) are not good drivers if they’ve had a drink.

Our message? "The best driver to choose is the one who doesn’t drink. Unless that drink is Heineken 0.0."

The campaign launched globally through a hero film, digital assets, a social experiment and a global activation.

The film portrays Max Verstappen socializing with friends and repeatedly being chosen as the designated driver, because he’s “the best driver”. Until we see Max drinking a Heineken, emphasizing that, even if he’s a World Champion, the best driver to choose is the one who isn’t drinking.

The social experiment, launched in Mexico, portrays Checo Perez as a taxi driver in a car filled with hidden cameras. The passengers, At first surprised, immediately freeze after noticing that Checo is drinking a beer while driving. Until they discover it’s a Heineken 0.0.

The global activation “Player 0.0” was a simulator racing competition that gave gamers the chance to compete against Max Verstappen as he drove in a sim that was programmed to be drunk. Showing that not drinking can make anyone the best driver.

Heineken became the beer brand most associated with responsible driving. The “Not the best driver” campaign ran in 54 countries, reaching 1.1 billion consumers, with 3.3 billion impressions and 2.9 million earned media, making it the most successful influencer campaign in Heineken’s history.