I am that not-so-rare creature: a woman who drinks beer. No need for a stereotypically feminine bottle or tap - I like it just as it is. When I do drink beer, it is usually in mixed company at one of the local brewpubs -so, while Heineken might not be available at such a place, the brand's latest attempt to reach the women's market still just gives me pain. I'd be embarrassed to ask for it, anywhere.


However, that's just me and maybe women are different in the Netherlands...
According to the Springwise post on this news, "Charli" is a sparkling cider brewed by Heineken that has recently launched in that country. It is being marketed to the 63% of women (according to Heineken research) that didn't like its original beer.
Did those women not like the taste of beer, in general? Why even go after that market? Leave them be. How about figuring out how to reach all the many women who DO like beer, but for whatever reason are not yet buying Heineken?
Here's what I'd do for a specific women-focused effort:
1) Form an advisory board of women who drink beer and some of whom are fans of the Heineken brand already.
2) Get their take on how Heineken might reach more beer drinking women (and perhaps realize that it wouldn't have a lot to do with a girly bottle or cheese-y name, thank you very much).
3) Get their help spreading the word about Heineken (including how cool it is that a beer brand would be asking women for help) so they can make (real) beer that is more appealing - or maybe just change the way they market their original beer.
4) Do not call any new product "light" or make it seem softer/girlier than the original beer, just call it something different (bonus of this approach: a few men along the way might also discover they like it too).
5) Leave the cider to someone else, and continue to be in touch with your customer advisory board (feel free to invite men in along the way too).
6) Let the existing fans help identify and make new Heineken fans (...and they'll tell two friends, and so on.)
Now, Charli may do just fine in the Netherlands (the women pictured on the web site do look happy), but Heineken beware: women elsewhere may more likely see a pink-thinking ploy and say "bye-bye, Charli."