Heineken 0.0 destigmatises being alcohol-free in new global campaign

Dutch brewing company Heineken has launched a global campaign designed to tackle the stigmas around social acceptance of choosing non-alcoholic beverages.

Titled "0.0 Reasons Needed", the campaign also aims to support people's rights to be reason-free and refresh consumers' perspectives on non-alcoholic drinks by showcasing the company's Heineken 0.0 non-alcoholic beer that was launched in 2017. 

The company released three Youtube videos ahead of the well-known alcohol-free month 'Dry January'. The first titled "On a diet?" showcased a woman being handed a plate of salad at a barbeque, after the chef assumed she was on a diet as she had an alcohol-free beer in her hand. She then reaches for the rack of ribs placed on the table instead, showing that she needed no reason to enjoy a Heineken 0.0. 

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The second Youtube clip, "Driving?", showed a man asking for a Heineken 0.0 at a bar, however, the bartender assumed he was a designated driver based on his choice of a non-alcoholic beverage. The man in fact just enjoyed the taste of Heineken 0.0 as he later hailed for a taxi. 

The last Youtube video titled "Working late?" showed three coworkers having Heineken 0.0s at a work party, however, their colleague assumes they are still working based on their drink choice. The clip then pans to the trio intently watching a game of soccer, emphasising Heineken's message of not neeeding a reason to enjoy a non-alcoholic beverage. 

"We're proud of our great tasting Heineken 0.0 and its role in helping to remove the stigmas in this space, so people can enjoy it without being judged. Perhaps someone is the designated driver, or maybe they just really fancy a refreshing Heineken 0.0 – our latest campaign shows the bottom line is, you don't need a special reason to go alcohol-free," said Nabil Nasser, global head of Heineken. 

The campaign follows a study conducted by Heineken and Charles Spence, a University of Oxford professor, that showed choosing low and non-alcoholic drinks still raised eyebrows amongst adults despite its acceptability. 

The research found that Gen-Z adults were the group facing social pressures around alcohol consumption the most, with 21% of them concealing drinking low or non-alcoholic beverages because of this. The report also found that more than one-third have felt pressure to drink alcohol in some social situations.

“For many, alcohol is no longer the default in social situations – we're seeing a shift towards more mindful consumption. Yet, in cultures where drinking alcohol is still predominantly viewed as the norm, opting out can be stigmatised. This is particularly true for Gen Zers and millennials," said Spence.

He added, "For generations, alcohol has played a central role in the way humans socialise, therefore dominant assumptions and stereotypes surrounding our drinking habits remain deeply ingrained in society". 

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE has reached out to Heineken for more information. 

Heineken is no stranger to quirky campaigns. In October last year, the company hacked music events across the world to deliver a hidden message encouraging people to minimise phone use on the dance floor and to be more present during memorable moments. 

The campaign aimed to prompt fans to put their devices aside and fully experience the moment. 

Created in collaboration with creative agency LePub, the campaign saw the beverage brand team up with Silver Live Out festival in Mexico and Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE) in the Netherlands to install innovative technology that delivered the message via infrared lighting. 

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