Anyone who has been on a dating app will no doubt tell you, there are plenty of thrills and spills along the way and lots of red flags. However, Heineken is taking a new twist on the dating app scene – not for romance, but to help young adults discover new bars and “match” with a more rewarding social life.
The global beer brand has launched ‘Bar Dating’ apps in South America and Europe, supported by a campaign devised by Le Pub, designed to help consumers find new venues and break free from their ‘usual’.
No longer just a way to connect with new people, consumers will be able to use the apps to “swipe right” on their next (bar) date, too.
Each bar has a dating profile so consumers can find a match which is just their type. Whether that’s a bar with stacks of personality, one with more laid back vibes, one with a good sense of humour, passionate about live music, or one that simply serves their go-to beer with a side of good conversation.
Heineken hopes that the launch of the new apps will help younger consumers break free from the sameness, expand their social bubbles and build more real-life connections. It has also been designed to support the bar industry – encouraging more customers through doors.
They are being supported by a number of short films, featuring dating scenarios and backed by “I Want to Know What Love Is“, the 1984 power ballad by the British-American rock band Foreigner.
As part of the campaign, Heineken has worked with bars to give their dating profiles a glow up ahead of the launch of the app to help attract new customers.
The launch follows new global research that reveals 67% of young adults (Gen Z and Millennials) worldwide admit they tend to play it safe and go back to the same bar time and time again when socialising with friends.
Despite having the strongest desire to discover new places, have new experiences, and meet new people, the reality is Gen Z and Millennials tend to stick to their comfort zone. Some 21% are worried about going somewhere they wouldn’t like, 18% say it is too hard to please all their friends, and 15% say they are overwhelmed by choice.
The research found that this was having a knock on effect on how young people felt about their social lives. More than half (59%) admitted they didn’t think it was as rewarding as it could be, with a third (34%) wishing their social life involved more new experiences and a quarter (23%) of Gen Z saying it lacked a certain ‘spark’.
Heineken global head Nabil Nasser said: “When we were studying this research, it came as a surprise that although younger consumers have a desire to be adventurous and try new things, the reality is they are often stuck in the same routine which leads to many feeling that their social lives are becoming stale. We want to encourage young people to step out of their comfort zones and visit new bars to help build more real-life connections.
“Speaking to a generation of digital natives, drawing inspiration from the world of dating apps seemed like a natural place to start. Of course, this doesn’t mean you need to break up with your local, simply play the field a little for a more rewarding social life.”
LePub Worldwide global CEO Bruno Bertelli added: “Bar Dating combines the spontaneity of dating apps with the excitement of exploring new bars, offering a fresh way to revitalise social connections. It’s about breaking the routine, discovering unique spots, and turning every night out into an adventure that sparks new bonds and energises social interactions.”
So, what is the consensus around the Decision Marketing office?
Let’s face it, pubs and bars could do with all the help they can get; it’s just a shame this campaign is not coming to the UK yet – although hopefully it will later in the year.
As for the films, they might need some tweaking to appeal to British audiences but, hey, we are hardly in the Gen Z and Millennial target market; the only time we change our local is when we get barred…
Decision Marketing Adometer: A ‘dating 7/10’ 7 out of 10
