K2 main attraction at Heineken cocktail

Wednesday September 26, was a special day for WLBL, producers of Heineken beer here in Saint Lucia. On that day, Heineken made a bold and fashionable statement in the presence of radio and television personalities, the press, DJ’s and specially invited guests at a grand cocktail reception here. The event was held in honour of ‘K2’, the new Heineken bottle. The special Heineken event was held at the Gaiety and it was no ordinary cocktail party. Let’s just say things were done somewhat differently and unexpectedly. So much so that most guests expressed that they’d been completely caught off guard by the masqueraders and cultural figures like “pai bannan” and “papa Jab” amidst the shrubbery of the Gaiety walkway. The entrance to the venue itself was decked out with two plush limos where guests were escorted by the Heineken ladies through the foyer with a décor highlighting some of Heineken’s history here. Inside, lively music greeted guests as they were invited to “live the experience” by interacting with some of the brand’s many engagements. These included a foosball table in recognition of Heineken and its affiliation with football particularly the UEFA champion’s league. There was also the music engagement where guests could choose to interact with musicians and instruments provided by Music Man or learning to be a DJ with a crash course from the 2012 Heineken Green Synergy DJ Champion, Selecta Twis. A major attraction on the night was the opportunity which guests had to customize their own Heineken T-shirts by Williams Screen printing. Of course for many, spending lots of time at the well-stocked Heineken bar engaging with the new bottle was their moment of truth on the night. Some guests also had the opportunity to win prizes through a special Heineken lucky dip and the band Tropix was on hand with a wonderful set of popular hits. In a few brief words on the night brand manager of Heineken Gaius Harry, spoke of the celebration of the new Heineken bottle as truly a proud moment. “You may ask yourself why much ado about a new bottle? Well for us at Heineken any change is always for the better and our changes always turn out to be legendary. So this evening you are actually here to “Live the Experience” of an historic moment,” Harry noted. “The media is key to our success and tonight we thought it important to bring together the radio personalities, the DJ’s, the press people, sales along with some of our consumers and customers, and to place them gloriously on top of our “A” list much like the star emblem of Heineken which now stands majestically on the neck of the new Heineken bottle,” the Heineken brand manager added. The new design of the Heineken K2 bottle which resonates a shaper green colour features a clear plastic label and unique curved embossment on the extended neck and back. A distinct embossed mark, acts as a stamp of quality and authenticity to the bottle as well. Heineken K2 rolled off the WLBL assembly line in Saint Lucia last week, but on Wednesday guests got to savour some of that production along with some wonderful hors d’oeuvres in the spectacular set-up at the Gaiety. Gregg Graves, Managing Director of WLBL noted Wednesday, after welcoming guest, that going into the new bottle was a necessary investment of EC$11 million which helped secure the company’s export market share which accounts for about half of all production. Marketing manager Shelley Black then gave some insights as to the plans for marketing Heineken K2. These will include a special booth at Oktoberfest En Kweyol on Sunday October 7, Samaans Park. Heineken will also premiere the new James Bond movie Skyfall with a green carpet VIP affair on November 9, 2012 at Caribbean Cinemas. But for the time being, the media and friends of Heineken, whether posing for the perfect photo op on Wednesday or attempting to be a rock star or DJ for a night, all shone brightly and excitedly at the cocktail premiere of Heineken K2 this past Wednesday.