Heineken looks to reinvigorate brand with groovy new can

Heineken is seeking to rejuvenate its sales by replacing the iconic ‘keg’ can with a new design, aimed at re-energising the brand’s shelf presence in the competitive retail market.

Heineken’s main target group is open-minded young adults who are up to date and curious. To engage this market, Heineken approached its long-term partner Ball Packaging Europe to develop a new packaging solution.

“One of the challenges the team faced in development was creating a new look within the parameters of the embossing and debossing technology without compromising Heineken’s distinctive and powerful design elements — aspects which are obviously key to on-shelf product recognition,” said John Reed, manager product commercial at Ball Packaging Europe. “We wanted to include a significant amount of debossed features in the design in order to give the can a unique look without compromising the structural integrity of the package.”

The solution was to create a horizontally grooved can, leaving the bulk of the can’s surface unprinted and relying on the natural reflective qualities of the metal to create a compelling visual effect.

“In the race to grab consumer attention, our trials showed that the best approach was not to overwhelm the can with colour,” Reed explained.

With grooved edges running horizontally around its entire body, the distinctive 330 mL can offers consumers an enhanced tactile experience that also provides a stabile grip on the chilled can.

“Special products like this are particularly beneficial in markets that rely heavily on packaging to directly communicate with consumers,” Reed continued. “Thanks to this joint team approach, we have given the Heineken can a special look and tactile experience that will get people talking.”

The can was launched into the UK market in April 2015.