Heineken has shown more humanity than any other ad... ever?

Heineken 27/04/2017

Heineken has gotten very political and it’s probably the most powerful commercial we’ve ever watched  - side note they didn’t pay us to say that.

It’s everything Pepsi wasn’t.

Gone are the scantily clad women, the celebrity appearances and the big banger soundtracks you’re accustomed to in a beer commercial.

The ad is a giant social experiment, pairing people with polarising views on feminism, climate change and transgender rights. 

Without knowing a thing about each other, these pairs then build a bar out of a flat pack, learning a little about the other as they go, on a very human level.

They’re asked what they think they have in common, how they would describe themselves, and what they like about the other.

Somewhat surprisingly, they all get on with each other, oblivious to their enormously varying political views.    

Once the bar has been made, they find a couple bottles of Heineken, place them on the bar and are then confronted with a video that communicates their experiment partner’s grossly different world views.  

Watching these peoples raw reactions is truly moving.

One man with an anti-transgender view says: “that’s not right. You’re a man, be a man; or you’re a female, be a female.”  

His drinking partner looks down, uncomfortable, obviously a transgender.

The experiment participants are then left with the ultimatum, leave, or discuss their differences over a cheeky Heiny.

By the end of the ad all of the pairs have learned about the other’s views, and most importantly grown.

E.g. The anti-transgender man softens his stance now that he’s met someone who he likes, respects even.

What's truly powerful in this commercial is the truth behind how sitting down over a beer can be enough to help people overcome their differences.

Several studies have found short, casual in-person conversations can shift peoples polarising political views.  

Bloody good job Heinken.