Heineken

A Glass as an icon

Heineken

StarMark Global Glass

‘Design a glass that everyone who sees it will want to take home.’
That was Heineken’s brief. We took it as an invitation to make something genuinely iconic. Together with Heineken and DesignBridge, we designed a glass where the star – the brand’s most recognisable symbol – rises from the base and traces the full height of the vessel. This “return the icon” approach anchors Heineken’s brand identity in the object itself: a single, uncompromising promise of quality in every sense.

Concept development: from divergent ideas to a single direction

Our concept development is grounded in hand sketches – the fastest and most direct way to explore divergent design directions. From there, we develop renderings of the strongest concepts. All processes run in-house, with specialists from every discipline working in close alignment. After years of collaboration, Heineken and npk share a deep mutual understanding of what each brings. That trust accelerates every phase – from the first sketch to final concept selection.

Engineered to perform: from “impossible” to production-ready

At Heineken, concepts are never evaluated on visuals alone. We produce plexiglass models virtually indistinguishable from the real thing and put them in front of a test panel: grip, stability, pour, drink. When the star-shaped glass was introduced at this stage, the response was immediate and enthusiastic.

The glass manufacturers were less convinced. “That’s not possible” was the initial verdict. But beyond model-making, npk has deep expertise in mould design for large-scale production. With a form as technically demanding as this, the ability to think alongside the manufacturer – and engineer a precise solution – is what turns an ambitious concept into a manufacturable product. That is exactly what we did.

Rolled out worldwide: the new standard for Heineken

The StarMark glass is now the standard Heineken beer glass across all global markets – with the exception of the Netherlands, where a dedicated design is in development. Nine years had passed since Heineken last introduced new glassware. This project marks a new chapter: a glass that reflects the brand’s evolution while honouring its most enduring symbol. Heineken launched the ‘Reach for the Star’ campaign as a worldwide teaser for the rollout. Ireland was the first market. The response was exceptional.

One last detail: set down a freshly poured glass and lift it again – the star leaves its mark on the table.