Desperados is a beer infused with a tequila kick. Produced by Heineken and distributed worldwide, the brand is making an impact online with a nascent vehicle strategy: the online, interactive commercial.

This vehicle engages the user in several key steps, which generates a solid payoff for your time. In the first few seconds, the video (hosted on YouTube) has you working with the control panel. You open a tall, imposing cedar door using input about your age and preferences. You enter a house party where everyone congregates in the kitchen, and you must slide the video knob to open a hole in the wall that reveals even more of the party. You have to connect with your friends through social media, like you always do, to progress. Then the thrill comes with a bouncy, energetic party filled with the beautiful and stylish. Who doesn’t want this? With 842,000 views since the post date, people are responding to the campaign. 

It's a fine example of brand cultivation. Too often, brands seems confused about implementing the rich toolboxes in their stable. They ignore the opportunity to build and generate activity. Some brands simply still believe that a memorable logo will sell itself online, and this is far from the truth. The younger, agile consumer needs to have some integration of information dispense along with interactivity. Desperados connects the dots here with aplomb.  

I was also interested to learn that they are part of Heineken’s beverage portfolio, and the Dutch brewer has a reputation for creative online video campaigns. Therefore, the ingenuity present in this video is less of a surprise. I’ve personally never heard of Desperados before this video. I don’t even recall seeing it here in New York. I admit that I am curious now. The website is also a good counterpoint to the video. It has similar layers of Flash, carrying the same keywords present in the video. Consistent themes are applied between the video and website, adding heft to the campaign. Kudos. 

Enjoy the Desperados Experience here.