Heineken taps Joe Jonas to ditch social media and pour into real connections

Heineken has unveiled its latest campaign created to inspire consumers to get off socials as a way to combat feelings of digital overload. 

Ideated by creative agency LePub and supported by global PR agency The Romans and creator-first social agency Billion Dollar Boy, the campaign aims to convey that stepping away from screens and taking breaks from virtual interactions is necessary for deeper and meaningful social experiences.

At the heart of the campaign is two-minute-long clip featuring popstar Joe Jonas and other well-known online sensations, including Dude with Sign, Lil Cherry and Paul Olima.

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The video titled "Social off socials" starts off with Jonas wandering along an empty highway, looking for any forms of life while Louis Armstrong's What a wonderful world plays in the background. 

As he approaches the city, Jonas checks his phone, showing that a post of his has received no likes or comments. Confused, he steps over a newspaper which reads "is it over for influencers?". 

The clip then follows a montage of various influencers attempting to share their content, however, fans and followers online seem to have gone ghost. From sneakerheads to realistic-bake artists, Jonas and other content creators roam around the deserted streets struggling to cope with the sudden lack of attention, resulting in funny, relatable scenarios within their specific audiences such as beauty, fashion, and food.

Jonas then stumbles upon a Heineken bar, where he enters to find a wave of people socialising face-to-face without using their phones. "Sorry social media," the on-screen caption read. 

According to a statement seen by MARKETING-INTERACTIVE, the campaign was inspired by analysis from global research company Statista that found time spent socialising has decreased by 35% over the past 24 years, whereas since the introduction of mobile based social media platforms such as Instagram and Snapchat, the time we’ve spent scrolling has more than doubled. 

The new campaign was launched with an event in New York City in April where Jonas and encouraged their followers to step away from their social media feeds to experience more authentic and rewarding connections. The campaign debuted in the United States, followed by a global rollout over the next six months covering TV, social media, OOH, and digital media across the Americas, Europe and APAC.

In the spirit of going offline, Jonas debuted his new track Heart by Heart in real life at the event, using the world’s oldest social network, the bar, rather than digital channels. He also filmed part of the new music video at the event in front of the offline crowd to showcase the power of real-life moments over digital ones.

"At Heineken, we’ve always believed that the best connections are created in real life. This campaign is a gentle reminder that stepping away from our screens can lead to more refreshing and meaningful social experiences, and help us feel less overwhelmed by the constant notifications on our phones," said Nabil Nasser, global head of Heineken. 

"Working with creators, who are by their nature always online, to highlight the solution may seem ironic, but they too realize it's about balance and were as eager as us to encourage IRL (in-real-life) socialising. So many people feel overwhelmed by the pressure of constant online engagement, so we want to show how easy it can be to take a break from social media," he added.

In tandem, Bruno Bertelli, global CEO of LePub and CCO of LePub Worldwide said, "Our campaign goal was to highlight the power of real human connection in a world consumed by screens. This campaign shows that the most meaningful moments happen when we step away from our devices and engage with those around us."

"By partnering with Joe Jonas and creators who embody the balance between digital presence and real-life connections, we made it clear that authentic moments are born when we disconnect. Who better than those immersed in the digital space to deliver this message in such an impactful way? True connections are made when we’re present, not distracted by our phones," added Bertelli.

“It’s so easy to fall into the habit of doom scrolling on your phone, I’ve definitely been there. We live in a world where everyone’s glued to their social media feeds, so I’m excited to be part of this Heineken campaign encouraging people to put their phones down and connect in real life," said Jonas.

This isn’t Heineken’s first nudge to get fans off their phones. In October, the brand hijacked music events worldwide with a hidden message urging partygoers to stay off their screens and soak in the moment. Created with LePub, the campaign partnered with Silver Live Out in Mexico and Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE) to deploy infrared tech that quietly delivered the message on the dance floor.

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