In Heineken 0.0’s New Ads, it Doesn’t Matter Why You’re Going Dry

Among the Oxford findings: more than 33% of Gen Z has felt pressure to drink booze in some social situations, while 21% have been called out or teased for picking low- or no-alcohol tipples. Significantly, 51% reported they drank alcohol at a social occasion when they had planned to abstain.

Gen Z men seem to be hyper-aware of committing a social faux pas in this space: 38% said they would drink low- or non-alcoholic drinks, but only if their friends did the same, and 29% said they felt like “outsiders” when not drinking and were compelled to explain their booze-free choice.

While the stats are telling, there’s a dichotomy in the data, with more people saying they view non-drinkers as “cool” rather than “boring.” The study polled nearly 12,000 Gen Zers of drinking age in the U.S., the U.K., Spain, Brazil, and Japan.

“For many, alcohol is no longer the default in social situations—we’re seeing a shift toward more mindful consumption,” per Spence. “Yet in cultures where drinking alcohol is still predominantly viewed as the norm, opting out can be stigmatized. This is particularly true for Gen Zers and millennials.”

New year, new excuse

Each of the three ads in “0.0 Reasons Needed,” filmed in Barcelona and directed by Hanna Maria Hendrich, focus on a different preconceived notion about why someone would skip booze. Dieting? Ferrying your friends to the club? Burning the midnight oil at work?

The conclusion in each video is that assumptions are often wrong—and anyway, the underlying reason is (or should be) immaterial.

“This campaign challenges the prejudices around the consumption of alcohol-free beer,” according to Bruno Bertelli, global CEO at LePub and chief creative officer of Publicis Worldwide. He defended Heineken 0.0 as not “just an alternative,” but a product that stands on its own.

The non-alcoholic space has become crowded and competitive. Sheinbaum realizes the need for traditional call-to-action marketing, though she wonders if that approach will change popular opinion.