For endurance athletes, the night before a race is sacred and strict. No alcohol. No late nights. No excess. Every decision is calculated to protect months of training. And in Puero Rico that’s all leading up to one of the world’s toughest endurance tests, the IRONMAN 70.3 Puerto Rico.
But what if the “no beer” rule didn’t have to exist?
Unlike traditional beer, Heineken 0.0 contains no alcohol.
That’s the idea behind The Night Before, created by de la Cruz Ogilvy, that gives athletes back something they have traditionally had to give up. While competitors plan every detail, from carb loading to sleep schedules, the initiative reframes the most restrictive night in sports as an opportunity to celebrate the preparation without compromising performance and reinforcing Heineken 0.0’s leadership in a category that continues to grow among people looking for new occasions to enjoy beer.
“For endurance athletes, the night before a race has always been full of rules, and avoiding alcohol is one of the most important,” stated Jean C. de Ayala, country manager of Heineken Puerto Rico. “With Heineken 0.0 we wanted to challenge that idea. You can respect the discipline of preparation while still enjoying the moment before one of the biggest challenges of your life.”
The initiative is part of Heineken 0.0’s sponsorship of IRONMAN 70.3 Puerto Rico, and also reinforces the brand’s global platform, Now You Can, that is about creating moments where beer previously wasn’t possible.
To boost the campaign, Heineken invited athletes to a Welcome Party at the official hotel where competitors gathered ahead of the race. There, participants enjoyed food and Heineken 0.0 in a relaxed atmosphere the night before the competition. What athletes didn’t know was that this moment was also part of the creative idea.
During the gathering, images were captured of athletes toasting with Heineken 0.0. The following day, during the running segment of the race, a giant screen installed along the course showed runners live as they passed by. At that moment, the screen split in two: on one side, their live image running; on the other, a photo of the athlete from the night before enjoying a Heineken 0.0, accompanied by the campaign message, “Drink the night before. Run the day after. Now you can.”
“Training for an IRONMAN 70.3 Puerto Rico means saying no to many things,” added de Ayala. “But ‘no beer’ no longer has to be one of them. Heineken 0.0 was created exactly for moments like this.”
“Sports are full of rituals, and the night before a race is one of the most sacred ones,” commented Sebastián Bullorini, chief creative officer at de la Cruz Ogilvy. “What we loved about this idea was the simplicity: show athletes that the thing they thought was forbidden actually wasn’t. With Heineken 0.0, the beer ritual can still exist, even before one of the toughest races in the world.”
Credits:
Creative Agency: de la Cruz Ogilvy
President: Carlos Thompson
CCO: Sebastián Bullorini
Creative Directors: Jacint Sotorra & Rómulo Caballero
Head of Art: Javier De Bourg
Growth Planner: Enrique García
Promotions & Marketing Specialist: Adriana Canales
Social Content Creatives: Gustavo Rodríguez & Áxel Santiago
Head of Client Business: Miguel Souss
Client Business Managers: Gabriela Torres & Thaimy Montañez
Public Relations: Raquel Cordero
Production Director: Carlos Escrivá
Videographers: Sergio Tirado & Alondra Pacheco
Production Company: Celeste Films
