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Free Heinekin Beer for Review

"Free beer for review!" said the email. I don't drink, but I always love to see how products are marketed. I'll write a review, I said, after I get a friend or two to sample the beer, which, strangely, wasn't named in the pitch.

The next day, a box arrives, containing this ridiculous case, which Benny enjoyed immensely. Inside which there is a single cold bottle of Heineken Premiumn Light Beer and an expensive Heineken bottle opener. It didn't contain a glass, which would have made sense.

My friend Anthony Tomari gamely volunteered to test the beer. His review:

It's smooth. It has no after taste. It's as good as regular Heineken, but it's unremarkable and indistinguishable from any other American beer.

My review:
What a dumbass, wasteful way to package a single bottle of beer. For the right way to send out alcohol samples. see Stormhoek.

For the money wasted on this stupid package (made in China, by the way) which I will throw out, they should have sent a six-pack of beer.

If you believe that the beer is good, let it speak for itself. If it's good, you don't have to hide it. If it's good, you don't have to send a huge press kit. If it's good, you just lead people to it and let them decide for themselves.

Categories: Ad targeting, Alternative Marketing, B.L. Ochman, Clueless ad agencies, Marketing Strategy

BL Ochman | Mar 30 06 11:26 | TrackBack (2)

Comments

Does that "beer casket" ship with a vault, or is that extra?

Posted by: Ike at March 30, 2006 12:13 PM

Don't throw out the package! I want to walk around airports and shopping malls with it handcuffed to my wrist! *8-)

Not really, but... I mean... Seriously... Doesn't it look like something Mulder and Scully might chase around for an hour?

Posted by: Phil Gomes at March 30, 2006 12:32 PM

Maybe spring brings out the beer pitches? It looks like Mickey's has launched a new site with some interesting stuff on it:
http://mickeys.com/

fwiw, I noticed they're offering site updates via SMS. Oh and no overblown press kits, just word of "wide mouth" advertising. Hah!

Posted by: Kevin Dugan at March 30, 2006 12:34 PM

It looks like a cool case to me. The kind that assassins open, remove the pieces and assemble the weapons - on film :-)

Posted by: Zoli Erdos at March 30, 2006 12:55 PM

The Mickey's site is great!

Posted by: B.L. Ochman at March 30, 2006 2:40 PM

Um Babe...next time can you save the beer for moi?

Posted by: malcolm Lambe at April 1, 2006 11:22 AM

Re the Mickeys site. Liked the Norwood Brown McManus character. The rest was total try-too-hard cornball.

BUT where was the information about the product? Is it beer or what? And where can I try it? I wanted to ask Mickeys these questions online but they wanted me to fill out a form with Name, Address, Telephone number, Date-of-birth, last time I got laid....you've gotta be kidding me haven't you?

I'm not giving you all that so you can spam my arse. Great way to get feedback guys (not). So this site just ended up irritating me. Maybe it's a hit with American college kids. But somehow I doubt it. And where are the offers? The downloads? The have a bit of fun with us?

Posted by: malcolm Lambe at April 1, 2006 11:44 AM

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Cerveja de graça, dinheiro posto fora from A Companhia
Certo dia Ochman recebeu uma garrafa de cerveja da Heineken em uma elaborada embalagem. “Que desperdício, mais idiota”, escreveu ela em seu blog. Ela nem toma cerveja. Deu para um amigo seu experimentar que decretou “é suave, mas in... [Read More]

Tracked on March 30, 2006 1:15 PM

Under-Aged, Over-Priced from The Flack
Brand Republic has the campaign pegged at $50 million, the most ever for a light beer launch. Big viral piece too. [Read More]

Tracked on March 31, 2006 12:16 PM

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About BL Ochman

Blogger, social media strategy consultant to Fortune 500 companies, and sought-after corporate speaker B.L. Ochman heads the creative team of whatsnextonline.com. She also publishes the Ethics Crisis blog for SRF Global Translations

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