HEINEKEN

Physical & Digital Experiential Campaign

D&D New Blood Submission 2023 // Heineken, DesignBridge

SHORT & SWEET

The Ask: Define what a fresher world looks like through a physical and digital activation.

The Opportunity: A fresher world is one where connections happen in real life, rather than behind a screen.

The Solution: Heineken AWOL Hour – a physical and digital system that rewards pub patrons for disconnecting from the digital world and reconnecting with each other.

The first step toward a fresher world is connecting passionate activists to drive a movement.

But many Gen-Z and Millennial activists are feeling burnt out by traditional activism efforts – they’re called the “Exhausted Majority.”

Anxiety, cynicism, and doubt surrounding the efficiency of their work has left them discouraged.

But they haven’t given up.

They are just searching for ways to get involved that are manageable – and they don’t know where to start.

That’s where relational activism comes in.

AKA activism that makes change happen through personal and informal relationships.

Social gatherings are key for having these valuable interactions.

Unfortunately, there’s one major barrier to having these worthwhile interactions:

Cellphones

of cellphone owners used their phones during their most recent social interaction.

(Pew Research)

89%

of adults say that use of cellphones during social gatherings hurts the atmosphere and hinders conversation.

(Pew Research)

82%

So, even though the majority of people believe cellphone use during social gatherings is bad, they still do it anyway.

We believe that in-person conversation is one of the most important catalysts for activism.

That’s why we’re taking cellphones out of the equation.

Introducing…

HEINEKEN AWOL HOUR

Heineken AWOL Hour makes it easy for pub-goers to disconnect from the digital world and make the most of their time IRL. Through phone lockers that offer a free battery charge, and an app that reverts your device to its most basic emergency functions, AWOL Hour removes the temptation of using your phone in social settings and sparks conversations that can help change the world for the better.

Physical Activation:

AWOL Hour Phone Lockers

9 out of 10 phone users report experiencing “low battery anxiety” while in public.

(Source: Ebiquity)

Powered by Heinekenergy™, the Heineken AWOL Hour Phone Locker will offer low-battery pub patrons one hour of uninterrupted, worry-free charging. The catch: as long as your phone is charging, you can’t use it.

Each locker has the necessary cords to charge your phone. Upon docking, the user will receive an NFC-enabled coaster which will not only unlock their locker at the end of the night, but will also allow them to purchase Heineken beverages at a discounted rate.

Heinekenergy

What is Heienekenery?

Leftover food and beer is a huge contributor of waste for pubs. A fresher world is one that is more sustainable, thus Heineken has a responsibility to innovate sustainability efforts.

Heinekenergy is a clean energy system where leftover food and beer is turned into electricity to power the AWOL Hour Phone Lockers. Fertilizer is an additional output of the anaerobic digester, which pubs can then donate to local farms — helping to further connect the community.

The true potential of Heinekenergy is still being realized. As such, in addition to revitalizing the simple act of living in the moment, AWOL Hour seeks to revolutionize the conversation on environmental sustainability and show the world what’s possible.

(Anti)Digital Activation:

AWOL Hour App

For those not needing a charge, the Heineken AWOL Hour App allows users to reduce their smartphones to their most basic functions. By swiping into AWOL Mode, users commit to staying off their phones and living in the moment. As long as they remain in AWOL mode, users can also enjoy AWOL Hour pricing on Heineken beverages.

The app also comes loaded with conversation prompts to help spark those IRL connections.

Coasters for Conversation:

Not only will the coasters be used as a way to retrieve one’s phone at the end of the night, but they will also serve as tools for sparking meaningful conversation. This is in pursuit of driving these interactions toward relational activism — to amplify the effects of the bonding in order to inspire motivation for driving real change in the world.

Each coaster is designed to include multiple unique prompts that can help get the conversation flowing. Some examples of these prompts are as follows:

A 15 Minute City is a concept where people have access to whatever they need/want within a 15 minute walk or bike ride. Plan out what is in your ideal 15 Minute City.
If you had a magic wand that could do anything, what would you change in the world to make it a greener place? Why?
Share your favorite organization or movement. Talk about a particular memory of that organization/movement that means the most to you.

These conversation-sparking prompts will also be available through the AWOL Hour App in the ‘Prompt me up’ section.

In-pub Messaging:

Those participating in AWOL Hour might feel lost without their devices. To help break the ice and connect participants with one another, we have designed eco-friendly coozies for the Heineken bottles. These coozies will serve as an outward sign to other pub-goers that the individual is down to chat IRL.

Additionally, posters will help to raise awareness about this campaign to patrons at the pub. These posters will drive the patrons to the phone lockers to start their AWOL Hour.

OOH Messaging:

It’s time to stop the endless double tapping and scrolling through life.

AWOL Hour will help you filter out the noise while enjoying an hour of affordable brews. The only thing Heineken requests in return is your presence in the moment — because an hour disconnected can spark the discourse that goes on to create a fresher world.