Globally, Heineken has made it a priority to lead the conversation around the dangers of drinking before driving. In South Africa, 87 percent of drivers admit that they have driven after consuming alcohol. In a country where drinking before someone drives is a norm, how can that behavior change?
Objective and Context:
The Waze app offers more than simple navigation; its users were increasingly turning to the app to identify the pinned Metro Police roadblocks after leaving drinking outlets. This behavior gave Heineken an opportunity to disrupt dangerous behavior with a socially responsible message and solution. Using a combination of location targeting, time targeting, and its "When You Drive Never Drink" (WYDND) message, Heineken created brand relevance while simultaneously providing a safe driving alternative to change behavior and save lives.
Target Audience:
South African Waze navigation app users were targeted at three key moments of interaction on the app.
Creative Strategy:
Waze has established itself as more than just a navigation app; it has become a driver-partner. Increasingly, Waze users were looking to the app to identify and avoid Metro Police roadblocks after leaving outlets associated with drinking. This behavior gave Heineken an opportunity to disrupt user activity with its socially responsible messaging: When You Drive Never Drink (WYDND).
Heineken leveraged the Waze platform and identified 100 key Heineken outlets, plotting their locations on the app. When a Waze user searched for one of Heineken's pinned drinking venues, or a user was in close proximity to one of Heineken's pinned drinking venues, or when a user was leaving one of Heineken's pinned drinking venues, ads were shown. The Heineken branded takeover was activated in these key moments before the driver began navigating while simultaneously offering a safe driving alternative with an Uber voucher.
Overall Campaign Execution:
This campaign ran from November 24, 2019 to December 31, 2019 — a period marked by end-of-year celebrations, in which drunk driving becomes more likely. Heineken identified 100 key Heineken outlets, plotting their locations on the Waze app. When a Waze user searched for one of the brand's pinned drinking venues, was in close proximity to one of its pinned drinking venues, or was leaving one of its pinned drinking venues, the Heineken branded takeover would be activated (before user navigation), simultaneously offering a safe driving alternative with an Uber voucher, which was a crucial part of the campaign's success.
Additionally, Waze Arrows were used to target users who were potentially leaving pinned Heineken outlets in the late afternoon and evening. When opening the app to navigate their way home, they could engage with the arrow and were then served the brand message and offered an Uber voucher as an alternative to driving.
Mobile Execution:
The entire campaign was mobile-based, as Heineken leveraged the Waze navigation app platform to target its audience and serve them the Heineken messaging and digital Uber voucher.
During the 33-day burst, the Waze campaign delivered over 3.1 million impressions of the When You Drive Never Drink (WYDND) message in highly receptive moments. Of these impressions, 9,800 educated navigations were achieved, and 100 percent of the available Uber vouchers were downloaded.
Using a combination of location targeting, specific timing, and relevant, actionable messaging, Heineken created brand relevance that helped change behavior and save lives.
