W + K Delhi and Mindshare appointed for Heineken

United Breweries has appointed Wieden + Kennedy Delhi and Mindshare for the creative and media duties (respectively) for Heineken. Wieden + Kennedy will also handle the digital duties of the brand. 

The announcement for the launch of the international beer brand was made in early August: the beer will be locally brewed and bottled from the UB brewery in Taloja, near Mumbai, and it will be positioned "as a super-premium lager beer that will target the discerning beer drinker in India". It is also said the brand’s global proposition ‘Open Your World’ will be leveraged across all marketing executions in India as well. 

Kalyan Ganguly, president and managing director, United Breweries Limited, said, “Heineken will appeal to affluent, sophisticated and discerning consumers in India. We will leverage our deep understanding of the Indian beer market, and complement that with robust marketing programmes and the strength of our nationwide distribution network, to bring to Indian consumers this truly iconic global beer brand. This is a significant and exciting consumer experience that United Breweries has brought to India.”

Samar Singh Sheikhawat, senior vice-president, United Breweries, added, "We are reaching out to a specific target group, and since, there are restrictions to mass media direct advertising of beer, the main focus of our sales and marketing efforts will be upon the points of sale and consumption. In addition, digital activation will play a key role, and as we move to the next phase, we will look at activating a brand property to engage with our consumers. Social media, in particular, will be used extensively to ignite conversations and connect with consumers. Our aim for the brand is to always be a part of the conversation."

Initially launched in Mumbai and Pune, the brand will be rolled out to the rest of the country over the next few months.