Heineken:

The Challenge:

Heineken recognised the need to future proof its business adapt to new external dynamics and emerge stronger from the COVID-19 crisis.  In order deliver beyond the categories they currently played in, it needed to think of themselves not just as a company that brewed beer, but in the business of socialising, articulated by Freddy Heineken decades ago, emphasising the selling if good times over beer.

In an era where being a ‘fast follower’ falls short, Heineken aimed to shape and invest in the future of its business.  And so needed a clear point of view of how the socialising landscape could change – for consumers, brands and partners – to inform fundamental strategic decisions including capability building, M&A, innovation strategy and more.

The Approach:

At Butterfly, we recognise the fleeting nature of trends. Our foresight approach focuses on identifying enduring drivers of change that influence consumer behaviour, category dynamics, and ultimately business strategies.

Conducting a thorough review, we mapped the system of influences on Socialising with a deep dive onto data points using the STEEP (Sociological, Technological, Economical, Environmental and Political) framework.  We then engaged our network of Experts of some of the most fascinating brains on the planet from academics in social identity to economies, from cutting edge social starts-ups to robotics and Roblox designers, from experts in youth to future cities.  Our experts worked with us to understand the latest in data, science and development that will impact the future. The output of this stage was a mapped system of 60 Change Drivers that described each shift and the impact it would have on the world and consumer behaviour.

The Impact:

By clashing these Change Drivers together, we explored how they might impact the future of socialising enabling us to build 6 tangible and quantifiable future narratives.

This initiative led to an enduring strategic partnership between Butterfly and Heineken. We devised a global, cross-functional rollout plan, featuring experiential immersions and engaging short films crafted by our creative team. More than 250 individuals within Heineken have been immersed in the Future of Socialising. This engagement provided them with fresh perspectives on better serving future socialising needs, ensuring that Heineken’s current business is both future-proofed and visionary.

The collaborative journey between Butterfly and Heineken has empowered the company to navigate the ever-evolving landscape of socializing. This strategic foresight has equipped Heineken to not only anticipate changes but also proactively shape the future of the brand in alignment with the evolving needs of consumers.