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The encyclopedia · Advertising & PR · Marketing decision · 2024–2025

Desperados turned a supermarket checkout beep into a reggaeton hit

A tequila-flavored beer repositioned for Gen Z by releasing a real single with Latin Grammy winner Ovy on the Drums, winning Cannes Gold.

Desperados · Heineken

the move

Desperados, Heineken's tequila-flavoured beer, was seen by Gen Z as a party-beer relic. LePub Milan was asked to reposition the brand across 30+ markets as Latin music exploded, up 985% on Spotify over the decade.

The move was music-first: Grammy-winning producer Ovy on the Drums became artistic director, and the brand released 'GUAO GUAO' as a real commercial single with Micro TDH, giving the artists veto over music and styling to stay credible. The video, shot in a supermarket by Bradley & Pablo, turned a checkout beep into a reggaeton anthem.

Distribution was native to the culture: 65 creators reached 30 million followers, the track pulled 1.6 million organic Spotify streams, a shake-your-phone 'Secret Vibe' playlist and a Snapchat AR filter synced fans to the beat. The campaign won Gold and Silver in Film Craft at Cannes Lions 2025 and ranked first in Digital/Social at the Kantar Creative Effectiveness Awards.

why it works

  • Giving the artists creative veto made the song feel like culture, not a corporate Latinity.
  • Releasing a real single embedded the brand in streaming playlists instead of interrupting them.
  • Shake-to-unlock playlists and AR filters turned listening into a shared, physical ritual.
the payoffBecome the culture, don't advertise at itclever

what transfers

For a brand chasing a young audience, commissioning a credible cultural artifact, music, film or game, beats borrowing the culture's look.

what came after

GUAO GUAO earned Desperados a Gold and Silver Lion at Cannes 2025 in Film Craft, and the experiential 'Avenida Desperados' layer took the track's energy to balconies and alleys across Europe, sustaining the brand's volume in a crowded beer market.

references

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