Haikenen? Aineken? Heineken? Spelling it correctly won’t create good times, but the world’s most international beer brand knows what can

Heineken is marking its 150th Anniversary with an unconventional celebration that prioritises good times over getting it right

AMSTERDAM, June 13, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Heineken, one of the world’s most recognised beer brands, is today marking its 150th anniversary with an unconventional celebration of the many ways the brand has been nicknamed, misspelled or mis-served over the years, all to showcase how good times and sparking true connections over a beer are, in the end, what matters most.

Freddy Heineken’s famous words “I don’t sell beer, I sell gezelligheid” have never rung so true. “Gezelligheid” translated is that feeling of good times, something that has been at the heart of the Heineken brand for the last 150 years. To celebrate this milestone anniversary, Heineken is putting good times front and centre of its global birthday festivities.

Of course, good times have changed over the 150 years of Heineken’s existence and will continue to do so, but their importance in people’s lives have not. Recognising this and as part of the anniversary celebration, the Heineken brand has worked with academics to better understand the ingredients that are needed to deliver that feeling of “good times” in the modern day; a surprisingly under-studied human need.

Marking a turning point in the brand’s history, Heineken has decided to evolve the way it measures success – focusing not just on the volume of beer it sells but also the good times it delivers for its customers in over 190 countries.  

To do this, Heineken has collaborated with behavioural scientist Dr Chris Brauer, Goldsmiths, University of London, to create the 'Good Times Index', a new brand measurement model which will score the brand’s contribution to creating the perfect conditions for good times. Through human behavioural research, the index has identified five core conditions that people universally need to experience good times, including open-mindedness, inclusivity, and human connection:

With the Good Times Index in place, Heineken is staying true to its vision by becoming the first beer brand to officially have “delivering good times” as part of the way it measures its annual performance – alongside sales and other brand tracking metrics. 

Bram Westenbrink, Global Head, Heineken Brand, said: “Brewing good times has been in our DNA for 150 years. That is why we are evolving our brand metrics to show that creating good times is equally as important as the beer we produce. By better understanding the conditions behind good times in today’s world, we can continue to create experiences for all our global customers that promote that feeling of gezelligheid – whether that is through the messages in our advertising, our sponsorships and events or of course our range of products including our non-alcoholic Heineken 0.0 or our more modern flavoured Heineken Silver. It is our goal that we will continue to deliver good times, one way or another, for the next 150 years and beyond.”