Heineken joins the metaverse fun as it launches its virtual beer

Heineken is the latest in a growing list of major brands to set up shop in the metaverse. On 17 March, the beer brand unveiled its first brand new, virtual beer called Heineken Silver, available exclusively in one of the biggest metaverse platforms, Decentraland. It contains no calories, no hidden ingredients, and no beer; they've been replaced by pixels. The brand is poking fun at the virtual beer. 

Decentraland hosted the virtual launch event, complete with pixelated caviar and lobsters, as well as a virtual DJ, dancers dressed in Heineken gear, and an avatar of Heineken brand ambassador and soccer star, Thierry Henry.

Heineken's global head Bram Westenbrink says that the new virtual beer is an ironic joke at the virtual launch event. 

"At Heineken, we believe that connecting with people is vital to human existence, like the air we breathe or the water we drink, and we know that the metaverse brings people together in a light-hearted and immersive way that is really exciting – but it's just not the best place to taste a new beer. Our new virtual beer, Heineken Silver, is an ironic joke. It is a self-aware idea that pokes fun at us and many other brands that are jumping into the metaverse with products that are best enjoyed in the real world. For now, you can't taste pixels and bytes. So, we want to make a joke about that and remind everyone that nothing beats the taste of a refreshing beer, including our new virtual Heineken Silver, in the real world," says Bram Westenbrink.

He adds: "For now, you can't taste pixels and bytes. So, we want to make a joke about that and remind everyone that nothing beats the taste of a refreshing beer, including our new virtual Heineken Silver, in the real world."

In order to add a little more flavor to the virtual beer and the metaverse, the company partnered with Spanish street artist, J. Demsky, to help design parts of the Heineken Silver virtual home.

J. Demsky, who claimed to be a long-time lover of Heineken, says that he is excited to be involved in the project. 

"As a long-time lover of Heineken®, I was excited to be involved with this fun and unique launch that brings the brand, and virtual Heineken® Silver, to life in a really unique way. To be able to give people a way to artistically understand what a virtual drink could taste like, especially when you combine all the pixels and technology together, fits perfectly with who I am and the art I like to create – so I hope people love my interpretation of what virtual Heineken Silver could be like if it had a flavor," says the Spanish street artist.

SOURCE: PR Newswire