Spotlight On: HEINEKEN

The green bottled beer made in the orange country of Van Gogh, tulips and windmills has been part of our lives, parties, and sporting events for more than 150 years.

And in those years Heineken has created one of the most recognizable and international brands ever, thanks in no small degree to the simple decision to use a green bottle. This and the red star (banned during the Cold War years for its association with communism) are icons recognized in any part of the world.

Hey! even if you don’t drink (god forbid) you still know about Heineken.

Created by Gerard Heineken in 1873 and still run by his descendants to this day, the beer was born after they hired a student of Louis Pasteur to develop a unique kind of yeast that gave Heineken its distinctive flavor.

And though its formula is quite simple, water, barley and hops, in the end, what you’re enjoying is not just what’s inside the bottle, but the whole experience. Fun times with friends, having a good time watching sports. Sophistication and cosmopolitanism. They’re all part of the ingredients of a successful brand, that we have made part of our lives and embraced as part of our best experiences.

They have a long and fascinating history. For instance: they were the first beer to be exported to the US just three days after prohibition to an incredibly thirsty country. Talk about seizing the moment!

Also in the 80s, the owner was infamously kidnapped, for one of the highest ransoms paid up to that point in history!

They`ve not always been as cool as Bond though: The company has also been accused of supporting dictatorial regimes, a history of slave labor, and promotion-related activities that could promote heavy and underage drinking, proving that big companies usually have equally sized controversies as well.

Heineken excels in marketing and their ad campaigns have always managed to be memorable, creating not just a drink, but a mythos behind the yellow elixir. This and an excellent eye for exporting, have made Heineken what it is today: one of the most ubiquitous and beloved brands on earth. Because let’s admit it: whether you’re at a concert, watching any football league, or a James Bond movie, Heineken is there. And you look so much cooler holding one of their famous “non-alcohol” green beer bottles.