Heineken launches online travel reality series in SA

'Voyage' is the fifth instalment of the brand's 'Legends' platform, The integrated campaign, disseminated across broadcast, digital and mobile, will allow consumers to have an immersive experience via the Dropped YouTube channel.

Here, viewers will be able to follow each 'Dropped' voyage, access documentary-style content and also contribute their own video entries to the 'casting couch' - with the ultimate chance of partaking in their own legendary travel adventure.

Every 'Dropped' travel adventure will be tailored towards the character of its main protagonist - forcing him to discover his own limits and conquer his fears. Across four continents, they will each face a multitude of challenges - tough terrain, curious locals and unusual modes of transport. As the Dropped episodes unfold, so the social experiment will come to life, with viewers of each voyage able to follow how each traveller fares through a series of diary entries and journey updates.

As to the outcome of each Dropped encounter, it is completely unscripted, with the participants desire to overcome the challenges the only measure of success.

Dropped SA

Four South Africans now have the opportunity to become legendary travellers and see the world, not as tourists, but as travellers. The difference - a traveller truly takes in a country's culture, from the food to the traditions, whereas a tourist only takes in the top-line of the place visited.

Competitors need to go online, sign up for Dropped and get their 'passport.' They need to watch the original Legendary Travellers episodes to earn stamps in their passport, share videos and answer questions for more stamps in their passport. The more stamps they get, the more entries they have in the final draw of Heineken Dropped SA

Once the four finalists have been selected, they'll be Dropped in separate countries around the world and then they have to find their way to the final destination to be crowned the ultimate legendary traveller. But unlike the original Legendary Travellers, they'll be competing against each other to not only take home the title of the Ultimate Legendary Traveller, but also to win travel worth R40,000.

The local competition comes with a twist; it will be live on Twitter where the public can follow, participate and engage with the finalists. By supporting a finalist that ends up winning the Ultimate title, followers will be put into a draw where they too can win travel worth R40,000.

Heineken Dropped SA will be live from Sunday 22 September to Thursday 26 September 2013.

According to Tjeerd Velduis, marketing manager for Heineken SA, the local campaign has been designed to offer South Africans the opportunity to immerse themselves in the brand's world of legendary travel.

"We are excited about this campaign, as we believe it offers the kind of experiential rewards for consumers that have never before been seen in a South African marketing campaign," he says.

Voyage TVC

The Voyage TVC, the inspiration for the Dropped travel experiment, officially airs 1 August 2013 on TV.

Set in colourful India, the film follows the Legend arriving in a remote Indian outpost and finding himself in all sorts of awkward and bizarre situations when he loses his pet goat. As a true man of the world, he knows how to navigate this new world with ease, even if he finds himself in unfamiliar territory.

Created by Wieden+Kennedy Amsterdam, the Voyage TVC was directed by Fredrik Bond, from Sonny London, who also directed the following Heineken Legends films - The Entrance (2010), The Date (2011), and The Final (2013).

View TVC here:

Catch up on episodes on YouTube

Episodes from the first Dropped adventure launched via Heineken.com and YouTube on 3 June. Each Dropped experience will encompass three episodes, complemented with behind the scenes content.

Veldhuis adds, "With Voyage, the fifth instalment of our Legends campaign, we want to go further than inspiring men to be resourceful and open to the world. We are giving a few of them the opportunity to go beyond the borders of their comfort zone. Heineken Dropped is a social experiment that will challenge the participant to display their true character and if they do, have a legendary travel experience."

Dropped episodes 1, 2 and 3 can be viewed here www.youtube.com/heinekendropped.

Campaign link on Heineken.com: www.heineken.com/voyage