Heineken trolls AI companions with cheeky wearable and IRL message
As AI companions gain traction, Heineken’s latest campaign urges consumers to connect offline, ideally over a cold beer
Heineken is jumping into the AI companionship debate with a campaign that trades virtual affection for real-world connection. As digital “friends” gain traction among younger audiences, the beer brand is serving up a reminder: some conversations are better had over an actual drink.
This article explores Heineken’s latest play on its #SocialOffSocials platform, a US-based activation featuring a bottle opener necklace and retro-inspired messaging to challenge the rise of chatbot friendships. With AI-powered pendants and digital companions going viral, Heineken’s move puts a humorous spin on a serious cultural shift.
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Here’s a table of contents for quick access:
- What’s Heineken’s campaign all about?
- Why now? AI companions are gaining real traction
- What marketers should know
Patrecia Meliana
What's Heineken's campaign all about?
Launched in mid-October across New York City and Instagram, the campaign leans into Heineken’s brand message of authentic togetherness. It centers on a bottle opener necklace, a tongue-in-cheek take on wearable tech, and features slogans like “The best way to make a friend is over a beer” and “Heineken: Social networking since 1873.”
The campaign is the latest installment in Heineken’s #SocialOffSocials platform, developed with creative agency LePub New York and supported by PR shop The Romans and creator agency Billion Dollar Boy. Instagram posts kicked off the launch on October 8, encouraging people to tag real friends, with OOH ads rolling out from October 16 to 22.
The creative push also comes with a clear point of view. “Research shows people are socializing less than they did a decade ago,” said Guilherme de Marchi Retz, Marketing VP at Heineken. “Younger generations are feeling socially drained by digital engagement. #SocialOffSocials was created to help change that.”
Why now? AI companions are gaining real traction
Heineken’s satire isn’t just for laughs. It taps into a fast-growing, somewhat uncomfortable reality. A recent study by Common Sense Media found that 72% of teens have tried AI companions, and 30% use them for friendship, role-playing, or emotional support.
Meanwhile, New York became a real-world backdrop to the controversy after a startup called Friend AI promoted its US$129 AI pendant with a US$1 million subway ad blitz. The backlash was swift and loud. Commuters vandalized the ads and staged a "Friend protest" with signs reading “Get real friends.”
Against that backdrop, Heineken’s campaign lands with a wink and a warning.
What marketers should know
Here’s how brand strategists and marketing leads can interpret this move:
1. IRL still sells, and it’s becoming a positioning tool
As digital burnout rises, campaigns that encourage physical interaction or sensory experiences offer differentiation. Heineken’s play shows that promoting non-digital experiences can be just as culturally relevant as jumping on the latest tech trend.
2. Humor can humanize platform pushes
While AI companions raise ethical and emotional questions, Heineken’s tongue-in-cheek tone makes its message accessible. Marketers aiming to comment on cultural shifts, especially those involving technology, should consider blending wit with purpose.
Patrecia Meliana
3. Anti-AI narratives are branding opportunities
Not every brand needs to embrace AI. For companies rooted in hospitality, physical experience, or community, leaning into “real over digital” is a credible angle. Heineken’s move shows how that narrative can manifest in creative and campaign design.
Heineken’s OOH and social media campaign doesn’t just poke fun at AI friendships. It reasserts the brand’s core identity in a noisy tech moment. By focusing on in-person connection and bringing humor to the AI debate, Heineken offers a roadmap for how legacy brands can stay relevant without jumping on every digital bandwagon.
Marketers should take note. You don’t need an AI chatbot to make your campaign timely. You just need a sharp read on culture and a message that hits home.
