Thailand – In a celebration of putting ice on beer amongst beer-drinkers in Thailand and Laos–which defies traditional beer drinking conventions–Heineken has teamed up with Wunderman Thompson Thailand to launch ‘Heineken® Star Ice’, a beer ice product that works well for those who enjoy their beer very chilled.

The creation of Heineken® Star Ice involved a meticulous freeze process designed to tackle the challenge of beer’s distinct freezing point, which differs from that of water. To achieve the perfect balance between chill and flavor, the great art of blast freezing was used, a technique that immediately freezes the ice at -35 degree Celsius to ensure that the beer is transformed into ice without compromising its premium taste in a world-renowned Heineken® star shape.

Through this process, ordinary ice is elevated to extraordinary levels. The resulting ‘Heineken® Star Ice’ cubes boast an unprecedented chilling power, more colder than regular ice. As a result, each Heineken beer is infused with an invigorating coolness that perfectly complements the vibrant cultures of Thailand and Laos.

Park Wannasiri, chief creative officer at Wunderman Thompson, said, “We take pride in fusing global brand excellence with the beauty of local traditions. The creation of Heineken® Star Ice was a passionate journey that embraced the ‘Beer with Ice’ culture, reimagining tradition with an innovative freeze. Beyond the refreshing chill, this ice represents a celebration of unity and the shared moments that bring us all together. Here’s to Heineken Star Ice – a truly cool and cultural experience.”

Meanwhile, Fahmi Rajendra, marketing director at Heineken® Laos, commented, “Heineken® is turning 150 years; no such any other perfect time talking on our heritage and honour our history while spreading the spirit of good times and embracing the gezelligheid lifestyle that Heineken® represents.”

He added, “And no such any other perfect opportunity driving connection with consumers by celebrating light-hearted ways of how they enjoy good times with Heineken® all around the world whilst unintentionally adapting the brand and making it their own. With bold creativity, meaningfulness and open-mindedness Heineken® Star Ice was then brought to life.” Inviting our local consumers in Laos to have good times with Heineken®; the beer that is part of their world; while still enjoying their local beer drinking culture, ultimately.”

Bangkok, Thailand – As the year-end festivities in the country of Laos are fast approaching, beer brand Heineken Lao has come up with its latest campaign to promote safer dining celebrations by launching its special grilling pan: the Star Grill Pan. This is designed for 5 persons’ consumption, each person having their own “star” corner to separate grilling, to encourage limiting celebration size in a fun way.

The campaign, made in collaboration with Wunderman Thompson Thailand, also comes with premium imported meat, organic vegetables and one extra cold Heineken carton, making the experience tastier and more special. The campaign was launched in reflection with Laos’ “Mu Kra Tah” or grilled pork that is part of national culture.

“Facing a huge competition in Laos from Beerlao, Heineken Lao and Wunderman Thompson needed to find a way to own the festive season in a memorable and unique way for Laotions. With the insight and research above, we found that “Mu Kra Tah” is the true symbolic of celebration and with that a new Heineken experience was born,” both parties said in a press statement.

According to Fahmi Rajendra, marketing director at Heineken Lao, they launched the Star Grill Pan to offer their valued local consumers the chance to enjoy “Mu Kra Tah”; while enjoying some ice-cold Heineken beer.

“Despite the pandemic, our goal has never changed – to stay connected with our consumers, providing them a new refreshing experience through initiatives. Our ambitious challenge was to find a safe way to connect people in a really fun and engaging way,” Rajendra said.

Meanwhile, Park Wannasiri, chief creative officer at Wunderman Thompson Thailand, commented that they believe that this campaign with Heineken Lao is the way to create meaningful relevancy with the local audience.

“The Heineken Star Festive BBQ will elevate the Laos’ national culture to the next level, and Heineken is the first brand to proudly share the Mu Kra Tah culture. This is not only a refreshing experience to Laotians, but has proven to drive sales and bring business results as well,” Wannasiri added.

The campaign was launched nationwide and online in early December 2021.