Welcome to 'Dropped', Heineken's social experiment where only legendary travellers need apply


Amsterdam, June 3rd, 2013- Are legends born, or made? To find out Heineken®, as part of its latest global campaign 'Voyage', is undertaking its most daring experiment yet.  It is testing what men are truly made of when taken out of their daily lives and dropped into the great unknown. Imagine the situation. You are a highly social character, out-going and confident. You get chosen to go on a legendary adventure - something you have never done before - a new experience that will test your resourcefulness. But then you find yourself in the freezing wilderness of Alaska - alone on a glacier, with nothing but a giant life-ring, a tuxedo and a plane ticket to get you home - and the airport is hundreds of miles away.

This is 'Voyage', a new campaign from premium beer brand Heineken® that takes different men from across the world and drops them in remote global locations with nothing but the most basic of supplies and directions. The result is 'Dropped' - a series of episodic adventures following our intrepid explorers on their legendary travel experience.

'Voyage' is the fifth instalment of the Heineken 'Legends' platform, The integrated campaign, which will live on a variety of platforms across broadcast, digital and mobile, will allow consumers to have a truly immersive experience via the Heineken® Dropped YouTube channel. Here, viewers will be able to follow each 'Dropped' voyage, access documentary-style content and also contribute their own video entries to the 'casting couch' -  with the ultimate chance of partaking in their own legendary travel adventure. 

Every 'Dropped' travel adventure will be tailored towards the character of its main protagonist - forcing them to discover their own limits and conquer their fears. Across four continents they'll face a multitude of challenges - tough terrain, curious locals and unusual modes of transport. As the Dropped episodes unfold, so the social experiment will come to life, with viewers of each voyage able to follow how each traveller fares through a series of diary entries and journey updates.

Their final destination?  Home. Will they make it? The answer lies within each adventurer - the outcome of each Dropped encounter is completely unscripted, with the participant's desire to overcome the challenges the only measurement for success. For all we know legends aren't made, they're Dropped.

The Voyage TVC, the inspiration for the Dropped travel experiment, officially aired on TV on June 1st, with episodes from the first Dropped adventure launching via Heineken.com and YouTube on June 3rd. Each Dropped experience will encompass three episodes, complemented with behind the scenes content.

Sandrine Huijgen, Global Communications Director, Heineken, commented, "With Voyage, the fifth instalment of our Legends campaign, we want to go further than inspiring men to be resourceful and open to the world.  We are giving a few of them the opportunity to go beyond the borders of their comfort zone. Dropped is a social experiment that will challenge the participant to display their true character and if they do, have a legendary travel experience.'

Finally, consumers who buy special packs of Heineken will be able to redeem a code and play an online game that tests their own navigation skills as they embark on a digital voyage. A lucky few will win their own legendary travel experience, with prizes on offer to include adrenalin filled travel adventures and perhaps the ultimate adventurer's discipline - space-training.

Schedule of Voyages
The first Dropped Voyage launches on Monday 3 June, with subsequent Dropped Voyages commencing every three weeks.

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Notes to Editors:
More about the Voyage TVC:
Set in colourful India, the film follows our Legend arriving in a remote Indian outpost and finds himself in all sorts of awkward and bizarre situations when he loses his pet goat. As a true Man of the World, he knows how to navigate this new world with ease, even if he finds himself in unfamiliar territory.
Created by Wieden+Kennedy Amsterdam, the Voyage TVC was directed by Fredrik Bond, from Sonny London, who also directed the following Heineken Legends films - The Entrance (2010), The Date (2011), and The Final (2013).

The Voyage TVC can be viewed here:
http://www.youtube.com/heineken

Dropped episodes 1, 2 and 3 can be viewed here from Monday 3 June: http://www.youtube.com/heinekendropped

Campaign link on Heineken.com:  www.heineken.com/voyage

About Heineken®
The Heineken brand, that bears the founder's family name - Heineken - is available in almost every country across the globe and is the world's most valuable international premium beer brand.
To follow Heineken® on Twitter visit www.twitter.com/heineken and to become a fan on Facebook go to www.facebook.com/heineken. To view videos, subscribe to our YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/heineken.

Press enquiries:

Marnie Kontovraki, Heineken International
Tel : +31 (0) 20 5239 355 / pressoffice@heineken.com

David Pugh
Tel: +44 (0) 20 3047 3284/ david.pugh@edelman.com


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