HEINEKEN USA, in conjunction with Waze, the world’s leading traffic and navigation app, today announced a partnership in the U.S. to promote responsible consumption. Piloting this summer in California, the campaign is utilizing targeted in-app notifications and offering vouchers from the leading rideshare app to encourage consumers not to drive when they drink. As a long-standing industry leader on promoting responsible drinking, HEINEKEN USA is the first alcohol company to begin a partnership with Waze in the United States.
Beginning Memorial Day weekend and extending through the summer, the promotion will be available to Waze users throughout the state of California with room to expand to other markets. The campaign will champion moderation by targeting users going to social venues such as beaches, parks, sports stadiums, and restaurants with messages that remind consumers that there is always a choice and encouraging safe decision-making behind the wheel. Waze users traveling to these sites will be offered a rideshare voucher that they can redeem at any point during the summer for a safe, responsible ride home.
“We like to say HEINEKEN has been social networking since 1873, but we recognize bringing people together for a drink comes with responsibility. Encouraging responsible consumption is core to our ethos and central to everything we do,” said Josephine Bertrams, SVP and Chief Corporate Affairs Officer of HEINEKEN USA. “Our new partnership with Waze in the U.S. is an exciting extension of this commitment. We’re working with Waze to encourage people to make safe and smart decisions as they spend well-deserved time with family and friends this summer.”
According to Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), Drunk Driving is still the number one cause of death on American roads and while research from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration indicates drunk driving fatalities have decreased 51% since 1982 and 21% over the past five years, there is still work to be done. That is why HEINEKEN continues to encourage moderation with its ongoing pledge to commit 10% of its flagship brand, Heineken®’s, media spend on responsible consumption campaigns each year.
“The last year has been challenging for everyone, and we’re excited to see the progress being made towards a ‘new normal’ for people in the United States,” said Fernando Belfort, Head of Waze Mid-Market for North America. “We want to make sure drivers can celebrate in the safest way possible and believe our innovative partnership with HEINEKEN USA will discourage dangerous behavior on the roads. With Memorial Day weekend historically being one of the biggest driving holidays of the year, this is a critical time to remind people on the road to drive safely and responsibly.”
This partnership builds upon HEINEKEN’s “When You Drive, Never Drink” global responsible consumption campaign and adds to HEINEKEN USA’s growing list of collaborations aimed at encouraging better decision-making on the road. The company first joined the Techniques for Effective Alcohol Management (TEAM) Coalition in February 2015, an alliance that allows HEINEKEN USA to promote responsibility messages and encourage positive fan behavior at sports and entertainment facilities.
Last month, HEINEKEN announced its 2030 Brew a Better World program, a new set of ambitious commitments aimed at driving a positive impact on the environment, social sustainability and the responsible consumption of alcohol. As an important part of the company’s EverGreen growth strategy, the 2030 ambitions build on progress made since the Brew a Better World program was originally launched in 2009. The partnership with Waze is one way in which HEINEKEN USA will focus on driving a positive impact when it comes to the responsible consumption of alcohol in the US market and contributes to the global organization’s pledge to bring responsible consumption messages to 1 billion consumers every year. For more information on Brew a Better World 2030, click here.
About HEINEKEN USA
HEINEKEN USA Inc., the nation’s leading high-end beer importer, is a subsidiary of HEINEKEN International N.V., the world’s most international brewer. Key brands imported into the U.S. are Heineken® – the world’s most international beer brand, Heineken® 0.0 – an alcohol-free beer innovation, the Dos Equis Franchise, the Tecate Franchise and AriZona SunRise Hard Seltzer.HEINEKEN USA also imports Amstel Light, Red Stripe, Tiger Beer, Strongbow Hard Apple Ciders, Birra Moretti, Bohemia and more. For news and updates, follow us on Twitter @HeinekenUSACorp, or visit HEINEKENUSA.com.
About Waze
Waze is where people and technology meet to solve transportation challenges. It’s a platform that empowers communities to contribute road data, edit Waze maps, and carpool to improve the way we move about the world. Thanks to Wazers everywhere, Waze is able to partner with municipalities and transit authorities to reduce traffic and congestion—leveraging current infrastructure while impacting city planning.
A world with better transportation doesn’t have to be in the distant future. By harnessing the power of community to reverse negative trends in transportation, Waze can create a world where traffic is history.
