An Advertising Campaign That Could Actually Make You Happier

You should go out and have a beer. And just in case you need a bit of encouragement, Heineken wants you to go and have a beer too. That seems like a pretty obvious positioning for an alcohol brand, but their ​latest #socialoffsocials campaign​ is just another reminder of how the brand has consistently been sharing this message for decades. I worked on Heineken's marketing when I was at Leo Burnett Sydney in the year 2000. Back then, they sponsored many live events and focused on how their beer encourages people socializing and having fun. Twenty-five years later they still sponsor events like Formula 1, soccer, tennis and Coachella ... and the brand is still about having fun at live events.

The message has a new relevance today as people struggle with loneliness and need more motivation to just go out and put the phone down, as this video linked above humorously points out. Amid ​mukbang videos​ of people eating and "​cake or fake​" challenges, the short video reminds us of the power of choosing to hang out with each other instead of our phones.

One of the most isolating experiences is streaming entire seasons of shows on Netflix. To counter the appeal of streaming, in Brasil, Heineken just launched an advertising partnership with Uber where they are offering ​vouchers for people to pause their shows​, jump in an Uber and go out to meet friends in real life. These ads are targeted to appear during moments within 75 different shows where the characters are in a bar enjoying a drink themselves. It's a clever way to interrupt someone to remind them that life is out there, waiting for them ... if they just choose to get off the couch and experience it.