LET’S START WITH HI
Transforming a brand into a conversation starter
Personal Project | New Designers Award Winner 2023
Based on the D&AD New Blood brief set by Heineken & Design Bridge, the challenge was to create a brand experience that helps people make fresh connections and culturally connect across boundaries, in pursuit of a “fresher world,” while staying responsible with alcohol marketing.
Non-negotiable deliverables
• Physical experience (real-world moment)
• Connected digital experience
• One non-traditional touchpoint (not limited by commercial factors)
Campaign Concept
First step to deciding what a fresher world is, is talking about what we would want to fix
“Let’s Start with Hi” shortens Heineken into an ownable invitation to start a conversation. The pack becomes a conversation starter through subtle, debate-inviting symbols and positive, inclusive prompts encouraging people to talk first, then act.
Once conversations are sparked, the campaign creates a route to action, giving people proof that their voice matters. Through the connected digital experience, people can vote on which issue feels most urgent right now; Heineken would then commit a defined percentage of campaign profit (with clear reporting) to a credible partner organisation working on that issue. The intent isn’t to claim the campaign “solves” anything, it’s to empower participation, turn talk into tangible support, and show that collective opinions can lead to real-world outcomes.
Campaign Assets
Style choice
The campaign assets use a deliberately human, sketch-like visual language to create an open, participatory tone. Illustrated symbols function as conversation starters rather than definitive statements, and are paired with Fave Script Bold Pro to visually connect the typography to the illustrative style. This LTO typeface is used alongside the brand’s core type to maintain strong Heineken brand recognition.
The symbols are drawn using a continuous-line art brush at 0.5pt, reinforcing the idea of an ongoing conversation and reflecting the personal, evolving nature of individual perspectives on each topic. Each key visual features a handwritten prompt filling the blank “_____” space (for example, “homelessness”), paired with the consistent response line set in Heineken’s type style: “Let’s talk about it.”
Together, this establishes a clear and repeatable visual rhythm across all assets. The handwritten elements signal individuality and personal voice, while the brand typography provides consistency and scalability across topics, channels, and formats. The connected illustration style also allows the system to extend seamlessly across platforms, reinforcing cohesion throughout the campaign
Asset library examples
Homelessness
Addiction
Education
Technology
Business
Justice
Equality
Agriculture
Animal Welfare
Inflation
Violence
Utilities
Idea
Voice
Conversation
Achieve
Thought Prompt #1
Thought Prompt #2
Poverty
Travel
Sustainability
Global Warming
Mental Health
Healthcare
Packaging system and variant architecture
The packaging approach reworks Heineken’s existing pack architecture rather than creating a separate “campaign label.” Core brand structures (the familiar badge shape and design of structure, hierarchy and key cues) stay intact for instant recognition, while the content is re-authored to carry the “Let’s Start with Hi” idea - including reducing “Heineken” down to Hi as an ownable shorthand. Because the wider brand world is so established, the pack can afford that simplification without losing recognition, and it becomes a distinctive campaign signature. The same rule set then scales across bottles, cans and multipacks: fixed brand framing, layered adaptable copy and campaign assets that turns every pack into a conversation surface.
Core Deliverables
Physical Experience and non traditional touchpoints: Hi Zones
Hi Zones are modular conversation spaces designed to turn “Let’s start with hi” into something people can actually do. Built for festivals and pop-ups, the space designed as a lounge area to encourage conversation. The space is made up of multiple table setups with Hi Chairs, some arranged as 2-seat tables for private chats, others as 4–6 seat tables and lounge spaces for bigger group discussions. Guests self-select the vibe they want without any complicated check-in, keeping the experience casual and social.
Conversation prompts (card decks)
Each table has a deck of prompt cards with a range of themes/genres (e.g., Animal Welfare, Sustainability, Poverty, Inflation). Every card includes a debate-style statement designed to spark discussion and connect back to the campaign’s wider campaign of talking about the big issues. Each table is designed similar to the show ‘Agree to Disagree, where they are invited to use their bottle as a marking device how whether to agree or disagree before launching into discussion.
Example:
• ANIMAL WELFARE
“Every pet owner should need a license.”
Scalable differences:
Number of seats / Additional lounge areas / large groups booths
Merchandise wall
Digital screens
Staff / Storage spaces
Private Hot Takes Space
Toilets facilities nearby/onsite of activation
Hourly feature moment: Hot Takes
Once an hour, guests can opt into Hot Takes, a fast-paced group moment inspired by the game show ‘Surrounded’, that turns conversation into a playful, structured event.
How it works:
• A circle is formed with 10 participants.
• On entry, each person writes one statement on a card (prompted by the themes).
• Participants take turns stepping into the middle to read their statement.
• As soon as it’s read, people from the circle race to the middle to discuss it with the person who wrote the statement. Fastest gets to discuss while the others return to their seat in the circle.
• A 5-minute timer starts while the rest listen from the circle.
• When time ends, the two return to the circle and the next participant steps in.
It’s designed to be energetic without being aggressive to encourage listening as a key part of the format.
Exit: vote + leave a trace
On the way out, guests pass two participation points:
1) Bottle voting bins
Guests “vote with their bottle” by dropping empties into clearly labelled bins representing where the campaign should direct support (e.g., Poverty, Homelessness, Animal Welfare). It’s quick, tangible, and naturally reinforces responsible disposal.
2) The Hi Wall
A black wall with white chalk invites guests to leave a one-line thought, question, reflection, doodle, or new prompt, turning individual conversations into a growing collective snapshot..
Connected Digital Experience: Hi Hub & Filter
The digital layer extends this campaign beyond the Hi Zone moments through a simple Hi Hub, one landing page reached via the QR on limited-edition bottles. From the Hub, people can choose to Vote (submit what they think and view live results across locations) or Share (launch a social filter pre-filled with the “What would you change” prompt, encouraging them to discuss what they believe is the most important issues, and what they think would help improve the problem, keeping the experience clear, optional, and easy to take part in. This builds on the idea that with fresh perspectives, we can achieve a fresher world.
Overall, “Let’s Start with Hi” turns Heineken into a simple invitation people can act on: start a conversation, share a perspective, and see that collective input has weight. Using an abbreviated version of the logo (Heineken becoming Hi) makes this a truly own-able campaign that feels unmistakably Heineken. Packaging acts as the first prompt, Hi zones creates an effortless moment of participation, and the Hi Hub carries it beyond the event through sharing, voting and live results. The outcome is a cohesive system that scales across channels, and stays true to the brief’s intent, using fresh perspectives and real connection as the first step toward a fresher world.
New Designer Award Judges Comments
“Kira demonstrated great confidence, passion and enthusiasm when talking about her work. She has big ideas grounded by a strong education. A unicorn in the making.”
Find out more about this award here
Creative Team
Kira Roberts