Fans have more friends: Heineken launches new campaign

Heineken® has launched its “Fans Have More Friends” campaign in Hungary, which aims to show that cheering is one of the fastest ways to make friends between strangers. The new TV commercial, featuring Heineken® ambassadors Max Verstappen, Virgil van Dijk and DJ Martin Garrix, debuted on the domestic market at the beginning of March.

Since its inception, the brand has been a supporter of social life and real experiences. However, for the first time in its more than 160 years of existence, it is organizing its activities related to football, F1® and music festivals on one platform, with the aim of showing how important real, human connections are in an increasingly lonely everyday life.

In a survey commissioned by Heineken®, three quarters (75%) of respondents said that cheering helped them meet new people. The results show that cheering together is one of the most effective ways to build new relationships, which is becoming increasingly important in these days, when many people miss face-to-face meetings and real social experiences.

In the same survey, three in five respondents (59%) said that their closest friendships are due to a shared passion for sport, and 75% said that it is better to watch a match with other fans, even if they do not support the same team. The extremely strong bonding power of football is also highlighted by the fact that 72% of respondents said that they do not even need to speak the same language to make friends while watching a match together.

The international launch of the campaign was preceded by a social experiment in New York. Heineken® teamed up with YouTuber Zac Alsop to find out if fans can really count on each other when they need it.

In the experiment, Joe, an Australian living in New York, wanted to watch the final group match of the UEFA Champions League between Liverpool and Qarabag FK with other fans, but despite living in the world’s largest city, no one would join him. To prove that the fan community can truly come together, his friend Zac handed out invitations to watch the match together in Manhattan, with Joe’s face on them and a simple request: “Have a beer with me!” The goal was to get as many people as possible to join Joe and watch the game with him on January 28th at a New York pub. Hundreds of people ended up going to the joint game to cheer on Joe, whom they had never met before. The event was also picked up on social media, and without Joe’s knowledge, Heineken® transformed New York’s Central Park Tavern into a real Champions League fan zone: the UEFA Champions League trophy was flown in and a real football legend, Bastian Schweinsteiger, was behind the bar, pouring beer for the fans.

Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk said of the campaign: “Football has always been more than just a sport, it has the power to bring people together, no matter where they come from or which team they support. That’s why I’m proud to be working with Heineken®, which is a brand that believes that everyone is an important part of the game, whether on or off the pitch. The Heineken® campaign also celebrates fans, as cheering together creates unforgettable moments and provides an opportunity to forge new connections and friendships, regardless of which team you support.

Nabil Nasser, Global Head of Heineken®, said: “Fan communities have an incredible power to bring people together. Football, F1® and music all have the power to bring people together through a shared passion. As champions of social life, Heineken® is launching a new platform – Fans have more friends – is about turning these shared moments into real connections anywhere in the world.”

Hungary is given a special place in Heineken®’s new campaign this year, as Budapest hosts the Champions League final in May and Formula 1 fans can cheer on their favourites at the Hungarian Grand Prix in July. For these events, which are followed by hundreds of millions of people worldwide, Heineken®