• by Teresa Buyikian , 6 hours ago

A new Heineken campaign starring the New York Knicks’ Josh Hart uses the player’s own friend group chat to encourage Heineken drinkers to take their social life off social media.

Heineken’s latest effort was inspired by its recent "Social Off Socials" research study that found that while 94% of Americans are currently part of group chats with their friends and family, only 29% say they meet up with their group chat in-person at most once a month. And while being part of a group chat helps provide a feeling of connection, 80% of Americans who regularly use group chats would love to meet up in-person more often.

The brand tapped Hart and his real-life friend and family group chat, which is dubbed “Cold Water,” to create the “Group Chat Bar,” a one-night bar experience in New York City themed after the group’s inside jokes and memes.

“For us, beer has always been about bringing people together,” says Alison Payne, CMO of Heineken USA. “While our digital lives are important, nothing beats the feeling of a genuine, in-person connection over a beer. The Heineken Group Chat Bar is the latest way we're creating a space that encourages more real-life socialization, because we know those are the occasions that deliver the most rewarding social experiences."

Heineken also found that “75% [of Americans] say they feel even closer to their group after meeting in-person, and 87% agree that nothing can replace real-life get-togethers.” A contest for consumers to win their own Heineken Group Chat Experience launched this week entered by posting on the brand’s social media platform.

The Social Off Socials study was fielded Oct. 2-6, and included 1,000 American smartphone users between the ages of 25-45 who were currently active in at least one group chat.