‘HEINEKEN PUSHES THE SMS ENVELOPE’

 SHANGHAI – With wireless internet still a distant promised land in China, premium beer-maker Heineken has taken a bold step into the world of mobile marketing, launching the first-ever interactive wireless campaign in mainland China.

Working with its interactive marketing partner Groove Street, Heineken decided to put short messaging service (SMS) to work now rather than wait for the day that WAP becomes a reality.

“This project clearly represents a milestone in using SMS as an enterprise solution and demonstrates the powerful marketing and promotional capabilities offered by the mobile phone,” says Nick Zhang, CEO of Linktone, a leading Chinese wireless service provider whose platform was used for the Heineken promotion. “Two-way communication between the brand and the consumer – thanks to forward-thinking companies like Heineken and Groove Street – is now easier than ever.”

Heineken SuperClub dance parties this May in Guangdong province’s two largest cities – Guangzhou and Shenzhen – will include a Lucky Draw, which doesn’t require snail mail, messy drop-off boxes, and makes prize redemption paperless. All a participant needs is a mobile phone.

By opting-in to the promotion, web surfers and mobile phone users will engage in a wireless conversation with Heineken. The process starts by registering on the Heineken SuperClub website (www.HeinekenChina.com/SuperClub). Participants will be sent two messages via their mobile phone – one a thank you message including a Heineken SuperClub branded screensaver icon for their phone display and a second text SMS encouraging them to buy a ticket to the SuperClub event.

Heineken’s extensive marketing programs will drive traffic to the site – which in turn will drive people to the event. And with the SMS program in place, Heineken is expecting to meet some happy Heineken party people on event night.

Although participants can use the internet to join the promotion, they aren’t required to. How? When partygoers in Guangzhou and Shenzhen buy a ticket, they will be prompted to send a simple message over their mobile phones to Heineken. Messages will be automatically entered into the Lucky Draw. Winners will be randomly selected and will receive an SMS informing them of their good luck during the dance parties.

Heineken tapped Groove Street, a pioneering technology-empowered marketing company, to develop and deliver marketing solutions targeting the younger beer drinker in China. Groove Street licensed Linktone’s platform for the event to create a unique and innovative SMS marketing tool.

“The exciting part of this project is its ability to reach Heineken consumers online, offline and even at the event’” says Josh Perlman, Managing Director of Groove Street China. “We have allowed seamless, direct and real time interaction between the consumer and the brand. To date, wireless marketing in China, when used at all, has been one-way. Now it’s two-way.”

Added Aymeric Fraise, Groove Street’s Director of Partner Relationship Management: “The beauty of this campaign is that partygoers are serving as both the Heineken consumer and marketer – they can promote the event by forwarding the Heineken-branded short messages to their friends. SMS works nicely because of its simplicity, popularity and reach, especially among the event’s tech-savvy target audience.”

China has unveiled plans for a fully interactive wireless infrastructure called Monternet, but has a way to go before it becomes a realistic media for marketing. As a result SMS has become the wireless marketing tool of choice for the near- to mid-term.

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