Heineken’s ‘Social Off Socials’ campaign encourages screen-free socialising

Heineken's new campaign enlists high-profile online personalities including Joe Jonas, Dude with Sign, Lil Cherry, and Paul Olima. Credit: Heineken

Heineken has launched a global push to revive in-person socialising with its new ‘Social Off Socials’ campaign, as research reveals adults now spend nearly six hours a day on screens.

The global brewer is sounding the alarm on a growing social crisis: digital overload.

New research commissioned by Heineken, involving 17,000 adults across the globe, has found the average adult spends 5 hours and 48 minutes a day on their devices. That adds up to 127,020 minutes a year – the equivalent of 88 full days.

Bram Westenbrink, Chief Commercial Officer at Heineken said:

We’ve brewed the joy of true togetherness for over 160 years. This value lies at the heart of everything we do. Yet, we believe it’s at risk. Screen time continues rising and people are neglecting IRL socialising.”

The growing problem of screen time

The problem is particularly prevalent among Gen Z adults, who spend over six and a half hours daily on their phones, with one in ten (10 percent) glued to their screens for more than 12 hours a day.

According to additional data from Statista, time spent socialising has dropped by 35 percent over the last 24 years, while time spent scrolling has surged by 54 percent with the rise of mobile-first platforms like Instagram and Snapchat.

The report also found that 40 percent of adults now communicate online more than in person. Despite this increased connectivity, three in five (62 percent) admit to feeling lonely, and a quarter (25 percent) see their friends in real life once a month or less. Nearly two-thirds (64 percent) of adults are nostalgic for a time when people socialised without smartphones.

More than half of adults worldwide (52 percent) feel overwhelmed by the constant need to stay up to date on social media. With 60 percent describing their phone notifications as “constant,” nearly half (47 percent) consider themselves “always online.”

Yet, the study suggests that disconnecting from social media leads to more fulfilling real-life interactions. When socialising in person, 79 percent of participants said they look at their phones less, and 23 percent have intentionally made more face-to-face plans to avoid using their devices. The research also revealed a growing desire for privacy and a more offline life. Three-quarters (72 percent) of adults agreed that keeping parts of their lives private, rather than sharing everything online, earns them more respect. Additionally, 67 percent aspire to live more offline and post less frequently on social media.

“Social Off Socials”

Responding to the data, Heineken has unveiled a new global campaign encouraging people to “get social, off socials.” The initiative enlists high-profile online personalities including Joe Jonas, Dude with Sign, Lil Cherry, and Paul Olima, who imagine how their feeds would look if everyone was too busy living real life to post about it.

By using the very influencers who dominate digital culture, Heineken is sending a clear message: the most rewarding connections happen in real life.

Westenbrink added:

Our research shows people want to go back to a time when people socialise without their phones and embrace in-person connections. So, we’re taking a stand to stimulate getting together over a beer, with or without alcohol, and increase the awareness of the pleasure of true togetherness for generations to come.”

The campaign follows similar recent Heineken initiatives including The Boring Phone and Forgotten Beers, both aimed at nudging consumers toward more mindful, less screen-dominated lives.

In a world of endless scrolling, Heineken hopes a cold pint – and good company – can still cut through.