Heineken Teaming up with James Bond

Heineken USA will rely on James Bond to help push its flagship brand this year, while launching campaigns for Newcastle Brown Ale and Amstel Light, and introducing a Mexican brand, Indio, in the states. And in an unusual move, the importer will run subtitled Spanish-language TV ads for Tecate on English-language channels.

The Bond campaign will coincide with the fall release of "Skyfall," the latest installment in the long-running movie franchise. Bond, played by Daniel Craig, will star in a Heineken ad. The spot, which will run globally, is by brand agency-of-record Wieden & Kennedy, Amsterdam, and directed by Sam Mendes, the film’s director. In the movie, Bond will swap his trademark martini for a sip of the brew — at least in one scene. The integration, which will include Bond images on packaging, marks the largest activation in the brand’s 15-year partnership with the 007 franchise, according to the brewer.

Bond "is a perfect fit for us," said Lesya Lysyj, chief marketing officer of U.S. importer Heineken USA, who outlined the 2012 advertising plans in an interview. He is the "epitome of the man of the world," referring to the name of the brand’s global campaign.