Heineken® Crowns Malaysia's First-Ever Player 0.0 Champion

Heineken® celebrates Malaysia's first-ever Player 0.0 Champion who will get to meet
three-time Formula 1™ World Champion, Max Verstappen, at the global finals in Spain.

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Aug. 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of its "When You Drive, Never Drink" (WYDND) platform, Heineken® emphasized that the best driver is the one who doesn't drink - unless it is Heineken^® 0.0. This crucial message was brought to life via a compelling campaign featuring Max Verstappen, the three-time Formula 1(F1™) World Champion and ambassador for the WYDND campaign and for the first-time ever in Malaysia, Player 0.0.

Player 0.0 - Heineken®'s latest initiative - is a mobile and sim racing competition which combines the excitement of racing with the brand's commitment to underscoring the important messaging of "The Best Driver is the one who is not drinking". Since June, over 1,500 participants tried their hand at the game, resulting in an impressive 50,000 game plays, and the search finally came to an end this month. After racing their way to the top, the top 20 racers from the leaderboard were invited to the Player 0.0 Malaysia Finals to showcase their talent, and the opportunity to represent Malaysia in the finals.

Last night, the racing spirit was at an all-time high at Piazza, Pavilion Bukit Jalil as the Player 0.0 Malaysia Finals were held in conjunction with a live viewing of the much-anticipated Formula 1 Dutch Grand Prix™, the first race back after the season's summer break. It was a vibrant atmosphere as enthusiasts gathered for an unforgettable experience; but the event was more than just a race. It was a celebration of the sport as fans enjoyed a live screening of the fan-favourite Dutch GP - Max Verstappen's very own home race - and the home of Heineken®.  The venue was transformed into a Grand Prix paddock experience with F1™-themed engagements.

As guests enjoyed Heineken® 0.0, they got to witness firsthand the impressive gameplay between the finalists who went wheel-to-wheel on the sim, as Chong Kai Chang emerged as Malaysia's very own 'Player 0.0'. Chong Kai Chang will be representing Malaysia at the global finals held in conjunction with Gamergy, an Esports and gaming festival in Madrid, Spain. The highlight of the global finals is the opportunity to meet three-time F1™ world champion, Max Verstappen. Making it more than just the race, live music performances from favourite local DJs - Blink, Jovynn, Mister Rodrigo, Pitch Shift and Shwan Zod - featured F1™ themed sounds within their setlist that transformed the venue, giving fans a refreshing watch party experience.

"Heineken® has always been about bringing people together by providing refreshing experiences – and what better way to do that than with our Player 0.0 initiative? As a beer brand that promotes responsible consumption, we want to drive the WYDND messaging through unique and innovative ways with mobile and sim racing. Our goal is to inspire consumers to enjoy responsibly and emphasise that the best driver is the one who is not drinking unless it's a Heineken®v 0.0'," said Willemijn Sneep, Marketing Director of Heineken Malaysia Berhad.

Heineken^® & Heineken^® 0.0 and all promotions are for non-Muslims aged 21 and above only. For more information and updates, log on to the website at  https://www.heineken.com/my/en/home or follow Heineken^® on Instagram (@HeinekenMY) and Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/HeinekenMYS/).

About Heineken Malaysia Berhad 

HEINEKEN Malaysia is one of the leading brewers in the country with its portfolio of iconic international brands. The Company brews, markets and distributes:   

• The World's No. 1 international premium beer Heineken® 
• The great taste of Heineken® with dealcoholised Heineken® 0.0
• The World-acclaimed iconic Asian beer Tiger Beer 
• The crystal-cold filtered beer Tiger Crystal
• The bold twist on Tiger's iconic lager Tiger Soju Flavoured Lager
• The World's No. 1 stout Guinness 
• The smooth and creamy Guinness Draught in a Can
• The premium wheat beer born in the Alps Edelweiss
• The New Zealand inspired cider Apple Fox Cider
• The all-time local favourite Anchor Smooth
• The premium Irish ale Kilkenny
• The real shandy Anglia
• The wholesome, premium quality non-alcoholic Malta.

About When You Drive, Never Drink (WYDND)

As a responsible and committed brewer, Heineken® launched the When You Drive, Never Drink (WYDND) campaign in 2016. The campaign reinforces the brand's commitment to advocating against harmful consumption and behaviours. The WYDND campaign's aim is encourage consumers to be the hero who drives sober by taking the leap to pledge to never drink when they drive. With the platform, Heineken® reiterates that there is no better way to get home safely after drinking than supporting your friends and reminding them, when they drive, they should never drink. Every year, Heineken Malaysia directs 10% of media spends to promoting responsible drinking, with a special focus on When You Drive, Never Drink.

HEINEKEN Malaysia is committed to advocating responsible consumption by championing responsible drinking behaviours through its Enjoy Responsibly campaign. HEINEKEN Malaysia's corporate social responsibility initiatives are carried out by its CSR arm, SPARK Foundation, focusing on environment and community partnerships.  

HEINEKEN Malaysia through its e-commerce platform, Drinkies now delivers chilled beers and ciders on demand. Drinkies also offers freshly tapped beers to cater for home parties and other events including weddings and corporate dinners. For enquiries, call 012-281 8888 or visit www.drinkies.my. 

Listed on the Bursa Malaysia Main Market, the principal shareholder of HEINEKEN Malaysia is G.A.P.L. Pte Ltd headquartered in Singapore. GAPL Pte Ltd is 100% owned by Heineken N.V.    

For more information, please visit: www.heinekenmalaysia.com.