Heineken
Heineken. Interactive bar at Schiphol Airport
Goals & results
HMSHost and Heineken wanted to create a new interactive bar experience in Lounge 2 at Schiphol airport that strengthened the Heineken brand’s connection with international travellers and encourage social interaction in an exciting and unpredictable way. Coupled with these social ambitions were some challenging tech specs: the bar would be open 18/7 with ± 500 visitors a day with an average staying time at the bar of 15/20 minutes 365 days a year. So all hardware, software and design choices needed to be durable (scratch/water proof) enough to cover the concept’s 5-7 years lifespan. The concept also needed to be flexible enough to be rebranded to campaigns and specific occasions, such as UEFA Champions League matches, Sensation, World Cup plays, etc.
The challange
Heineken has a very clear idea of how it wants to connect with its key customers around the world. The brief called for a bar that was smart and witty, progressive and contemporary, but simple enough to appeal to an international audience. Above all, it required an interactive experience that would make the Heineken brand relevant at Schiphol Airport.
Theory of… what?
According to the Theory of Loose Parts (Simon Nicholson, 1972), the degree of inventiveness and creativity and the possibility of discovery in any given environment are directly proportional to the number of variables in it. We decided to put this idea to the test at The Heineken Interactive Bar @ Lounge 2.
Getting smart
The interactive bar uses smart tech to stimulate passengers to spontaneously connect, share, converse and play around. Read the thoughts and ideas other travellers have shared on the back of a digital coaster. Browse trough the intuitively easy coaster cloud with hundreds of messages. Heineken bottles or glasses ‘unlock’ new conversations and you can learn about Heineken events and discover the story behind the Heineken star. You can share your thoughts as well, with the world by leave your mark on the back of a ‘digital’ coaster or leave a message for someone special by sending him/her a code-protected personal message. A sure-fire way to make friends for life. The bar continuously adapts to specific events and occasions (i.e. UEFA Champions League, festival).