Heineken International has announced that it has extended its contract with UEFA to sponsor the UEFA Champions League for a further three years. Heineken’s new agreement will see its current deal with the world’s most prestigious club tournament extend until the end of the 2014/15 season. The partnership is set to continue to be an important component of the beer brand’s global sports sponsorship strategy while supporting the growth objectives of the brand.

Beer and music do match. This was proved by numerous partnerships and collaborations with performers launched by many brands including Heineken, Grolsch, Carlsberg, as well as premium lager brand Kronenbourg 1664, which is to release a new music-centered addition to its ‘Slow the Pace’ campaign, devised by BBH. Just like Levi’s did within its ‘Pioneer Session’ where celebrated artists were remaking popular songs of past decades, the beer brand is helping old tracks be heard again and live a new life but with the same musicians.

Pilsner Urquell, a flagship of SABMiller’s international brand portfolio, launched its new global creative campaign ‘The Legends of Pilsner Urquell’ on YouTube and PilsnerUrquell.com. The meticulously created stop-frame animation film celebrates ‘The Day Pilsen Struck Gold,’ the first chapter, in the true historical legends of the brand. The film tells the factual history of November 1842, when the Pilsen brewers took the inaugural sip of the world’s first golden beer.

Heineken, which launched its hilarious Open Your World campaign in December 2010 with the ‘The Entrance’ spot, is now coming up with a new stunning video, the long-awaited second spot of the campaign. The film, which premiered on YouTube yesterday, May 25, is called ‘The Date’ and features a couple which is walking through a huge Chinese restaurant, packed with musicians, guests, chefs, beautiful ladies and gentlemen and a magician with a rabbit.