About this episode

Ali Payne discusses Heineken's journey to becoming Creative Brand of the Year and the strategies behind maintaining a fresh brand identity.

Ali Payne, CMO of Heineken, joins us to discuss how one of the world's most iconic beer brands became Creative Brand of the Year at Cannes Lions - and what it takes to keep a 150-year-old brand feeling fresh. From being the "Official Beer of Soccer" as a non-sponsor of the FIFA World Cup to reviving the legendary "Most Interesting Man in the World" campaign, Ali shares how Heineken balances long-term brand building with cultural relevance. We explore what it takes to get an entire organisation behind bold creative ideas, the role of sport in Heineken's marketing strategy, and how brands like Birra Moretti continue to grow through innovation. Timestamps 00:00 - Trailer 00:56 - World Cup fever for the USA and Heineken 02:51 - Jumping on cultural moments 04:25 - Becoming the official beer of soccer (unofficially) 06:50 - How non sponsors got more coverage than sponsors for the World Cup 10:18 - How to manage a 150 year old brand 12:31 - Winning Cannes creative brand of the year 14:46 - Getting the wider business on board with creative work 17:06 - Ali’s favourite Cannes Lions winner 18:38 - Bringing back Dos Equis most interesting man 22:58 - The success of Birra Moretti 24:49…

People in this episode

Host: Jon Evans

Guest: Ali Payne

Topics covered

• brand strategy
• marketing innovation
• sports sponsorship
• cultural relevance
• long-term brand building

Keywords

• Heineken
• Cannes Lions
• marketing
• brand building
• sports sponsorship
• innovation
• Dos Equis
• Birra Moretti

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Heineken, FIFA World Cup, Birra Moretti, Cannes Lions

Products: Dos Equis

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