Going dry? It doesn’t matter why. New Heineken ® 0.0 Campaign Says No Alcohol Should Be No Reason, Investing.com

AMSTERDAM, Jan. 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — People’s drinking habits are changing, so do we still need abstinence months like ‘dry January’ and ‘sober October’ in the diary to choose alcohol-free options? New research from Heineken (AS:) ® and Professor Charles Spence at the University of Oxford shows that despite the acceptability of low and high soft drinks, choosing one can still raise eyebrows.

The study – which surveyed 11,842 adults in five developed non-alcoholic beer markets – the UK, US, Spain, Japan (over 75s) and Brazil (18 to 65) found that Gen-Z (18 to 26 ) are the group that faces the most social pressures around alcohol consumption.

The survey found that 21% of Gen Z in these five markets have been called out for their soft drink choice and say they’ve concealed low- or no-alcohol drinking due to social pressures. The report also found that more than one-third felt pressured to drink alcohol in some social situations.

Professor Spence and Heineken ® 0.0’s study of human behavior explored persistent barriers to social acceptance of soft drink choices. Some of the most interesting discoveries tell us:

• Gen Z men over the legal drinking age are among those most likely to feel that opting for a soft drink could be a social faux pas.
• 38% of men in this age group say they would be willing to drink alcoholic beverages without or with a low percentage of alcohol, but only if their friends do too.
• If and when Gen Z men choose to drink low-alcohol or non-alcohol versions of beverages, they feel they need to explain and justify their drink choice and even feel like outsiders because of it (29%).
• When it comes to moderation, there’s a difference between what people say and what they do – 51% of people have stopped drinking when they said they wouldn’t, often due to social pressure.

Heineken ®’s latest ‘0.0 Reasons Needed’ campaign is designed to tackle the stigma surrounding the social acceptance of soft drink choices, supporting people’s right to be reason-free. This is part of Heineken ®’s ongoing strategy to grow the category and refresh consumers’ perspective on soft drinks.

Charles Spence, Professor of Experimental Psychology at the University of Oxford, explains: Our study revealed some fascinating insights into the development of social attitudes towards alcohol consumption. For many, alcohol is no longer the standard in social situations – we see a shift towards more careful consumption. However, in cultures where drinking alcohol is still largely considered the norm, opting out can be stigmatized. This is especially true for Generation Z and Millennials. Alcohol has played a central role in the way people socialize for generations, so the dominant assumptions and stereotypes surrounding our drinking habits remain deeply ingrained in society.

Not everyone worries about judging their drink choices, the findings show we’re in the early stages of acceptance becoming the new normal:

• Half of the respondents say that compared to five years ago, it is more acceptable to drink low-alcohol or non-alcoholic versions of alcoholic beverages.
• The study found that a fifth of heavy drinkers now say they drink alcohol and soft drinks in moderation at evening social gatherings with friends or family.
• Participants recognize people who do not drink alcohol as cool (9%) and respectable (25%), rather than uncool (4%) or boring (6%).
• Interestingly, among those who drink low-alcohol or non-alcoholic versions of alcoholic beverages, more than a third (35%) of people choose this when on a date night.

More people feel confident in their balanced lifestyle “no matter what others think of them” and many people admire those who are sober or choose to drink in moderation. These early signs from the leading non-alcoholic beer markets point to the dawn of a new, post-sober curious era.

The Heineken ® campaign ‘0.0 Reasons Needed’ is designed to send a clear message: if someone chooses dry, it doesn’t matter why. While societal pressures around moderation still exist, Heineken ® hopes to break down the stigma associated with choosing not to drink alcohol, defending people’s right to make decisions without judgment. The TV show series pokes fun at some of the stereotypes associated with choosing not to drink alcohol, such as the assumption that one must be a certain driver or be in poor health. Through the new ‘0.0 Reasons Needed’ campaign, the brand aims to encourage those who simply want to enjoy Heineken ® 0.0 for its great taste, ensuring that everyone is empowered to embrace moderation “if they want to.

Nabil Nasser, Global Head of the Heineken ® brand, says, The launch of Heineken ® 0.0 in 2017 revolutionized the non-alcoholic market. A premium, high-quality brand that offers a 0.0 rating has helped make moderation cool. It is exciting to see how this new research reveals a growing social acceptance of soft drinks; not just accepted, but something that people see as a cool and confident choice. That said, you can see that there is still low research to deal with and there is still no condemnation of alcohol, so we need to be dynamic and inventive in how we tackle these stereotypes. We’re proud of our great-tasting Heineken ® 0.0 and its role in removing the stigma in this space, so people can enjoy it without judgement. Maybe someone is a designated driver or just really likes the refreshing Heineken ® 0.0 “ our latest campaign shows that you don’t need a special reason not to drink alcohol.

The latest Heineken ® TV commercials, directed by Hanna Maria Hendrich and filmed in Barcelona, ​​will be broadcast worldwide in January 2025.

HEINEKEN is committed to driving moderation through campaigns for Heineken ® 0.0, with previous activations including When You Drive Never Drink and its global sponsorship of Formula 1 ® .

Editorial information

You can find the white paper and infographic here

Find high resolution images of the campaign here

Please find the TVC YouTube links below

• On a diet?
• Driving?
• Working late?

For more information, please contact: HNKNBrand@edelman.com

Professor Charles Spence, An anthropological study of changes in the consumption of low-alcohol and non-alcohol products and their effect on society. The study’s white paper and executive summary are available upon request.

Technical note

They conducted the research Ipsos (EPA:) UK on behalf of Edelman and Heineken. Ipsos UK interviewed a representative quota sample of 11,842 adults using its online omnibus, including an enhanced sample of 1,483 Gen Z. Fieldwork was carried out in five markets – UK, US, Spain, Japan and Brazil.

The resulting sample is representative of the population aged 18 to 75 in all markets except Brazil, where participants were aged 18 to 65. Quotas are set by age within gender, region and work status.

Data are weighted by known offline population ratios for interleaved cells of sex within age, work status, as well as region and education (UK, US, Spain, Brazil), social class (UK only) and income (US only) as would reflect the adult population of this audience in each market.

While there are some differences by market, the figures here are based on an overall average, with each country weighted equally.

The field work was carried out from August 16 to August 30, 2024.

Bottom base sizes:

About HEINEKEN:
HEINEKEN is the most international beer producer in the world. It is a leading developer and marketer of premium brands of beer and cider. 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 “Creating a Better World”, sustainability is built into the business.

HEINEKEN has a well-balanced geographic footprint with leading positions in developed and emerging markets. We employ over 85,000 employees and operate breweries, malthouses, cider production facilities and other production facilities in more than 70 countries. Shares of Heineken NV and Heineken Holding NV trade at Euronext (EPA:) in Amsterdam. Common stock prices are available 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) programs: Heineken NV (OTCQX: HEINY (OTC:)) and Heineken Holding NV (OTCQX: HKHHY).

The latest information is available on the HEINEKEN website: www.theHEINEKENcompany.com and follow us on Twitter via @HEINEKENCorp.

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Source: Heineken