Consumer insights inspire
the nightlife experience
of tomorrow
Thomas Troch
Senior Research Innovator, InSites Consulting
Caroline van Hoff
Concept Development Manager On-Premise, Heineken International

The Heineken concept club (Milan, April 2012)
Combining
research with
creativity is the
perfect recipe for
a great party!
Background in Industrial Design
thomas@insites-consulting.com
@thomastroch

The Heineken STR bottle
The historical legacy behind Heineken’s
design credence is what led the brand
to pursue its progressive roots
and encourage emerging designers.

“Clubs are really interesting
spaces for us to explore new
design ideas, as they’re social,
extrovert and progressive
places where design really sets
the scene for the nightlife
experience.”
Mark Van Iterson – Head of Global Design, Heineken International

Challenges
Involve consumers in a vision of the future?
Engage trendy clubbers from all over the world?
Report findings to designers for maximum impact?
Facilitate co-creation among the design team?
Select ideas and create consistency?

How to create the club of tomorrow?
Join forces with a multidisciplinary group of designers

Crowdsourcing emerging designers
via social media

Making the final selection on Pecha Kucha nights
in Milan, New York, Sao Paulo & Tokyo

Designers get their inspiration from
life in the city, the club scene,
each other, their expert coaches,
the Heineken brand and of course…
clubbers!

How to create the club of tomorrow?
Join forces with a multidisciplinary group of designers
Connect with clubbers and understand their journey

Understanding the journey of clubbers
clubbing
design-savvy
PARTICIPANTS
Heineken
COUNTRIES

RESEARCH
carefully screened group of consumers
gathered around a common interest

joining a closed online platform
longitudinal connection
managed by passionate moderators
RESEARCH
carefully screened group of consumers
gathered around a common interest

joining a closed online platform
longitudinal connection
managed by passionate moderators
beliefs needs
perceptions
motivations
RESEARCH underlying emotions
aspirations
carefully screened group of consumers
gathered around a common interest

The Heineken concept club community
Clubbing experience
Role of clubbing
Review of the
nightlife experience
Ideal experience

Process
Selection of designers Selection and development of ideas
MROC with
designers, coaches,
MROC with the Heineken team
120 clubbers and clubbers Launch

"We collaborated in an online hub,
a kind of virtual creative lab. It
was bridging all continents and
time zones, stimulating cross
fertilization and kept the creative
juices flowing through new
progress, new insights, new
briefs."
Mark Van Iterson – Head of Global Design, Heineken International

How to create the club of tomorrow?
Join forces with a multidisciplinary group of designers
Connect with clubbers and understand their journey
Approach the nightlife experience as service design

Core potential of an insight
You understand me
AHA! X IT’S ME
I never thought of it like this before
Branding potential of an insight
Innovation potential of an insight

Connecting Discovering Getting a drink
Dancing Cooling down Ending the night

The layout takes a cue from
the nightlife journey of clubbers

Join forces with a multidisciplinary group of designers
Connect with clubbers and understand their journey
Approach the nightlife experience as service design
The result?

Queuing in front of the club is
always so boring! It should be
possible to already have a first
glimpse of the vibes, it will make it
worth waiting and build up my
excitement.

The origami element at the entrance links the outside to
the inside of the club and hints at the interior design.

Great staff member are critical in
shaping my night, they are the
face of the club. They should fit
the identity of the place and
radiate positive energy, most of
the time this isn’t the case.

The staff is dressed in vibrant futuristic outfits,
in line with the ‘Changing perspectives’ theme of the club.

The first moment of meeting up is
only about my friends. It would be
cool if we could create and tweak
our very own atmosphere.

The biggest video bottle wall in the world reacts on sound
and features live images of the clubbers.

It is so frustrating not to be
noticed by the bartender! I’m
clearly trying to get his attention,
however others are being served
before me.

The bar is interactive and allows you to order a beer,
it even keeps track of who is next in line.

I’m at the bar for different
reasons; sometimes just to quickly
get a drink, but I may also be
catching up with my friends or
having a chat with an interesting
stranger.

The interactive bar surface entertains and connects
people in playful ways.

I like having a unique drink that
has a story to tell. This experience
emphasizes the identity and
authenticity of the club and
provides me with an exclusive
story worth sharing.

The limited edition bottle alters it’s appearance
under different types of light and is accompanied
by origami serving trays and openers.

For me dancing is a great way to
release my energy and to loose
my inhibitions; it would be great if
there was enough space to really
go wild!

Leave your drink on the numbered shelf
and go crazy on the dance floor.

We are all a bit looser while
dancing, this is a great opportunity
to connect with new people and
the DJ; too often I’m only
surrounded by the same people.

Video mapping and a 3D origami star let the dance floor
become a playground, measuring the energy of the dancers
and allowing the DJ to adjust accordingly.

In-between dancing I like to give
my senses a break. I want to
revitalize before going back onto
the dance floor.

The angular seating in the lounge area
calms the senses.

Clubbers are invited to express their thoughts
on an origami-shaped wall.

When we head home, we cherish
the great moments we had. It
would be amazing if there was
some kind of way to remember
the night and share it.

Instant pictures provide you with
a tangible memory to take home.

It’s awful when we get kicked out
when the club closes! The least
they could do is check up on us to
make sure we had a great night,
are in need for a last drink or a
cab.

When it’s time to move on, a friendly concierge
will guide clubbers onwards, giving directions
and arranging cabs home.

Challenges
Involve consumers in a vision of the future?
Engage trendy clubbers from all over the world?
Report findings to designers for maximum impact?
Facilitate co-creation among the design team?
Select ideas and create consistency?

Design proves to be
one of the most
powerful tools to create
a memorable journey,
the connection with
clubbers results in a
relevant and impactful
experience.
The Heineken concept club
thomas@insites-consulting.com
@thomastroch