Heineken Hides Message in Barry Can’t Swim Show at Amsterdam Dance Event Calling for People to Put Away Their Phones

• Barry Can’t Swim has teamed up with Heineken® to encourage fans to put their hands, not phones in the air at one of October’s biggest music events ADE.

• Heineken installed innovative technology that delivered a hidden message only visible on phone screens during the opening party at The Loft, headlined by Barry Can’t Swim.

• Follows research that reveals 41% of Gen Z and Millennials find it frustrating to see a crowd of phones in the air when out at a gig or concert.

• To help people better enjoy times IRL with friends, Heineken has launched The Boring Mode app that will turn any smartphone boring – silencing apps and dialling down distractions for truly quality social moments.

AMSTERDAM, Oct. 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Amsterdam Dance Event have teamed up with Heineken to encourage people to minimise phone use on the dance floor at this year’s global music event.

During Barry Can’t Swim’s DJ set at the ADE opening event, Heineken hid clever technology that delivered a message via infrared lighting, invisible to the naked eye but revealed when people held up their phones to film the performance. Fans were encouraged to turn their smartphones ‘boring’, keeping the moment in their memory, not on their phone.

Amsterdam Dance Event expects to welcome over 500,000 visitors from 146 countries to see acts such as Four Tet, Peggy Gou, Eats Everything, Gorgon City and Jamie Jones.

The same technology was also implemented by Heineken at Live Out Festival in Mexico, attended by 50,000 people earlier this month. Heineken wants to encourage people around the world to stay in the present and live their social lives to the fullest, no matter where they are.

Heineken’s hidden message follows a growing trend of performing artists and DJs asking fans to be more present in the moment across tours, festivals and club nights this summer.

But it’s not just artists that are craving digital disconnection, in recent years there has been a growing trend of consumers, particularly Gen Z’s and Millennials, wanting to tune out from their phones so they can tune in to what is happening right in front of them.

Over a third (35%) of Gen Z and Millennial smartphone users across the UK, US and the Netherlands said they check their phones more often than they should when socialising and six in ten (60%) think they’d enjoy music events more if they could disconnect from their device.

Two fifths (41%) said they find it frustrating to see a crowd of phones in the air when out at a gig or concert. More than half (55%) admitted that they had prioritised capturing a video of a performance rather than being present in the moment, even though 13% also said they rarely watch back the videos they capture anyway.

To help people facilitate good times with friends IRL, Heineken has launched The Boring Mode – an app that will turn any smartphone boring, blocking other apps, notifications and even the camera for a set period of time.

Heineken wants people to dial down technology so they can dial up their nights out. With The Boring Mode, people will be able to go back to basics – pixelating their cameras, blocking apps like Gmail and Instagram, and keep the constant dings, buzzes and notifications at bay.

Scottish DJ and producer Barry Can’t Swim said “I’m all in favour of The Boring Phone and Boring Mode, Heineken have created. When I heard about the new ‘anti-smart’ phone concept, it was something that struck a chord with me. With live music, of course you are more present and immersed if you are giving it your full attention, rather than taking a video on your phone. And without phones, the energy is definitely different – people are more connected on the dancefloor.”

Jorinde Boom, Head of Partnerships at ADE comments, “Electronic music is made to be felt, experienced and heard, not just in your ears but through all of your body’s senses. We encourage everybody to experience and explore each performance of an artist during ADE in the best way. We hope this campaign created by our Main Partner Heineken allows attendees at this year’s festival to enjoy all world class artists we have on our lineup free of distraction.”

The Boring Mode is being launched in response to the incredible demand for The Boring Phone – a collaboration between Heineken and Boston streetwear curators, Bodega. When the limited-edition Y2K inspired flip phone (designed to do absolutely nothing but message and call) was launched earlier this year, more than 70,000 people tried to get their hands on one.

Nabil Nasser, Global Head of Heineken® comments, “Today it feels like tech always comes first, leaving the enjoyment of real life in second place. While technology grants us endless conveniences, it also comes at the cost of not being able to stop and embrace what’s happening around us. At Heineken®, we want to foster moments of genuine connection to enable a more rewarding social life. When we launched The Boring Phone earlier this year, demand was huge but only a limited number were made. So, we hope the launch of The Boring Mode helps even more people take a step back from taking photos for posting on social media, and instead look around to enjoy what’s right in front of them. After all, there is more to your social life, when there is less on your phone.”

The Boring Mode is available to download, for free, on iOS and Android now.

Notes to editors:
For more information and images please contact:
Heinekenboringphone@wearetheromans.com

Research:
This online survey of 5,000 Gen Z and Millennial Smartphone users of legal drinking age (2,000 UK, 2,000 USA, 1,000 NL) was commissioned by Heineken and conducted by market research company OnePoll, in accordance with the Market Research Society’s code of conduct. Data was collected between March 2024 – October 2024. Data can be separated into just UK/US/Gen Z/Millennial demographics if required. Further data from Italy, Brazil, Germany and Mexico available upon request. This survey was overseen and edited by the OnePoll research team. OnePoll are MRS Company Partners, have corporate membership of ESOMAR and Members of the British Polling Council.

About Heineken®        
HEINEKEN® is the world’s most international brewer. It is the leading developer and marketer of premium beer and cider brands. Led by the Heineken® brand, the Group has a portfolio of more than 300 international, regional, local and specialty beers and ciders. We are committed to innovation, long-term brand investment, disciplined sales execution and focused cost management. Through “Brewing a Better World”, sustainability is embedded in the business. HEINEKEN® has a well-balanced geographic footprint with leadership positions in both developed and developing markets. We employ over 85,000 employees and operate breweries, malteries, cider plants and other production facilities in more than 70 countries. Heineken® N.V. and Heineken® Holding N.V. shares trade on the Euronext in Amsterdam. Prices for the ordinary shares may be accessed on Bloomberg under the symbols HEIA NA and HEIO NA and on Reuters under HEIN.AS and HEIO.AS. HEINEKEN® has two sponsored level 1 American Depositary Receipt (ADR) programmes: Heineken® N.V. (OTCQX: HEINY) and Heineken® Holding N.V. (OTCQX: HKHHY)

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