Heineken takes a swing at AI friendships with cheeky OOH ad

Heineken is chiming in on the growing chatter around AI companionship with a tongue-in-cheek campaign that reminds consumers where real connections are made, over an actual beer.

Created in collaboration with LePub New York, the campaign extends Heineken’s "#SocialOffSocials" initiative, which champions authentic human interaction in an age of digital substitutes.

Leaning into the recent hype around AI friendship devices, Heineken spotted an opportunity to inject humor into the conversation while reinforcing its long-standing message: the best relationships are built offline.

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At the heart of the campaign is a functional bottle opener necklace, Heineken’s playful spin on “wearable tech.” The tagline, “The best way to make a friend is over a beer”, appears across high-impact OOH placements in New York City and Heineken US’ social media channels.

The campaign launched on 8 October with Instagram posts encouraging followers to “Tag a (real) friend you want to have a beer with”, followed by OOH rollouts from 16 to 22 October featuring the bottle opener necklace and the line, “Heineken: Social networking since 1873”.

"Heineken has always stood for more than just great beer - it’s about brewing the joy of true togetherness to inspire a better world. This campaign is the latest expression of Heineken®’s #SocialOffSocials platform, which encourages people to put down their phones and reconnect in person," said Guilherme de Marchi Retz, marketing VP, Heineken USA.

He added, "The insight behind it is simple but powerful: research shows people are socializing less than they did a decade ago, and younger generations are feeling socially drained by digital engagement. #SocialOffSocials was created to help change that through real-world activations, cultural moments, and creative reminders like this one."

de Marchi Retz said the campaign was a timely way to bring Heineken’s message to life in a fresh, relevant way, aligning with the brand’s long-standing belief that real connections matter more than digital ones. As conversations around AI companionship gained traction, the brand saw a playful opportunity to reinforce its mission of making social life more refreshing through its #SocialOffSocials initiative, which champions the power of in-person moments over virtual interactions.

According to a recent study by Common Sense Media found that 72% of teens have used AI companions at least once, and over half interact with these platforms at least a few times a month. 30% of teens are also using AI companions for social interaction and relationships. This includes conversation practice, emotional support, role-playing, friendship or romantic interactions. The report highlights the growing use of AI companions as the tools continue to grow in popularity.  

Heineken's campaign also lands amid growing backlash in New York over AI “friendship” devices. According to The Verge, tech startup Friend AI sparked public outrage with a US$1 million subway ad blitz promoting its US$129 chatbot-enabled pendant, designed to listen to users’ conversations and offer real-time responses.

The ads quickly became a viral spectacle, with commuters defacing posters and staging a “Friend protest”, a tongue-in-cheek rally calling out society’s overdependence on digital technology and championing in-person connection instead. Protesters were seen holding signs and chanting “Get real friends”, underscoring New Yorkers’ skepticism toward AI as a substitute for human interaction.

The US bottle opener activation is part of Heineken’s broader global push around digital detox, extending the brand’s #SocialOffSocials platform to encourage meaningful, offline social experiences. In May, Heineken unveiled its campaign aimed at encouraging consumers to step away from screens and combat feelings of digital overload.

Ideated by LePub and supported by global PR agency The Romans and creator-first social agency Billion Dollar Boy, the campaign starring popstar Joe Jonas seeks to show that taking breaks from virtual interactions is necessary for deeper, more meaningful social experiences.

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