Heineken is further expanding its beverage menu by adding a low-calorie, low-carbohydrate and low-alcohol lager.

With Heineken Silver, the brewer says its offering a beer that’s both healthy and easy to drink with a smoother, less-bitter flavour than the brand’s traditional beers.

Jose Casillas, marketing director at Heineken Canada, tells strategy that Heineken Silver represents a new direction into the easy-drinking, light-beer category. Each 330-millilitre serving includes three grams of carbs and 90 calories with an alcohol by volume of 4%.

“This was an important step for the brand, as we recognized a growing demand for these taste profiles, and it perfectly complements our broader offer next to Heineken Original and Heineken 0.0,” Casillas says.

Targeting a health-conscious audience has been a years-long project for the brand. Last month’s launch of the “0.0 Reasons Needed” campaign, which sought to normalize non-alcoholic options, was a continuation of 2022’s “Cheers With No Alcohol,” which focused on the feelings of exclusion non-drinkers can experience at social gatherings.

Casillas says Heineken wants to position Silver as an alternative for those seeking balance between socializing and wellness.

The budget for Heineken Silver’s rollout is considerably larger than previous campaigns, Casillas says. The media plan spans TV, YouTube, Amazon, digital, social, OOH and influencer partnerships as of the Feb. 24 launch. OOH 3D activations are planned for Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and Edmonton starting March 3.

It was supported by Publicis Toronto for creative, Publicis Connect and Billups for media and OOH. North Strategic was enlisted for PR and influencer engagement.