Virtual beer
Virtual beer
A unique glass, the special 25cl glass for Heineken® Silver. Light green in colour and adorned with relief, the red star, and inscriptions such as ‘Pure Malt Quality,’ ‘Heineken,’ and ‘For a Fresher World,’ as if it were cast in ice. Most notable are the protrusions, providing a better grip on the cold surface: Silver is best enjoyed at a temperature of 2 to 5 degrees Celsius. The storage temperature is even lower: -1 °C.
Inspiration from Dutch masters
Perhaps the designer drew inspiration from 17th-century roemers, drinking glasses with studs on the stem to prevent slipping. However, the clever placement of the 'studs' on the Silver glasses serve another purpose: easy stacking. With a height of 12 centimetres, the glass is much lower than the Ellipse glass (commonly referred to as 'vaasje' or small vase). This gives it a proportionally robust appearance. In short, everything is designed to showcase the content, the light 4% pilsner with extra low bitterness, in the best possible way.
Digital start
With an eye on the Asian market, where refreshing beverages with low alcohol percentages are traditionally popular, Heineken Silver was launched in 2019 in Vietnam, in 2020 – during the COVID period—in China, and in 2021 in Taiwan. The flashy campaign resonated well with young, trend-sensitive audiences. Upon the introduction of Silver in European countries, including the Netherlands, in 2022, Heineken opted for a different marketing approach. The campaign started entirely digitally, in the Metaverse, initially to generate buzz.
Virtual beer
This is how Heineken opened the first virtual brewery, where the brewer virtually crafts Heineken® Silver from the best, 100% computer-generated ingredients. The special A-yeast is replaced by A-Pixels, and the bitterness comes from Binary Coded Hop, cultivated by NPCs (non-player characters). Special virtual brewers, the digital counterparts of Heineken's Master Brewers, monitor the brewing process from A to Z. Upon entering the virtual brewery, you navigate through the Can Lab game to familiarise yourself with this new world. The taste of Heineken Silver is experienced in the Tasting Room. In the Cheers Booth, among enormous holographic beer cans, you can virtually toast with friends and take selfies. And everyone can show off their moves on the dance floor.
Real world
Ultimately, though, nothing beats a real beer with real friends. That is precisely the irony of this virtual launch, with a wink, as you would expect from Heineken. Although the metaverse is the place to make new connections, beer remains a product that you can only enjoy in the real world. The Silver glass is literally tangible proof of that.