Smartphones have become too interesting. They’re robbing people of their social life. So Heineken and Bodega, US brand curator of fashion, design and counterculture, have launched the boring phone with reduced tech capabilities, an idea by LePub, to encourage people to connect more with people and less with what is on their screen.
The limited run Boring Phones were produced by European mobile innovator, Human Mobile Devices. They deliver the basics needed for a great night out, the phone’s primary function is to send and receive calls and text messages. The phone is unable to download social media or other apps that take away from being present. It also has a handy week of standby time and up to 20 hours of talk time.
Its transparent casing and holographic stickers draw inspiration from Gen Z’s love of Newtro fashion and design and are reminiscent of mobile phones of the early 2000s.
The Boring Phone was launched at Milan Design Week on Thursday April 18, with a special party designed to show people that there is more to their social life when there is less on their phone. Following this, devices will be given away to revellers around the world, so they can disconnect, reclaim quality time with friends, family and loved ones, and dial up their nights out.
An app that will turn smartphones boring will also be launched in June to give those who don’t manage to get their hands on a physical device the Boring Phone experience. The campaign will follow a global rollout with launches in Brazil, Mexico and Germany throughout the year.
To support the launch, Heineken has conducted an in-depth look at young adults’ attitudes towards smart tech. The report reveals:
- 90% of Zillennials across the UK and US confess to doom scrolling while socialising with friends and family, checking their devices an average of seven times on a night out.
- Two-thirds admit to checking social media (62%) when hanging out with others, while over a third (36%) confess to checking work emails. Three in ten (30%) also revealed they sneakily play games instead of engaging with their family and friends in the moment.
- Over a third (37%) think they check their phones more often than they should when socialising
- 32% admit they would like to be able to switch off from their phones while on a night out.
- Encouragingly, one in five (22%) revealed they already turn their phone off or leave it at home ahead of social occasions and a further two in five (38%) say they’d consider doing so.
Nabil Nasser, global head of Heineken commented, “We could all do with a break from the constant distractions of smart tech; something our research has shown is even more important to our Gen Z and Millennial consumers. When we spoke to them about their smartphone usage, we quickly realised that many feel they are habitually distracted when socialising by their device but also admit they didn’t want to go completely phone-free. At Heineken, we want to foster moments of genuine connection and help people experience the joy of true togetherness. In creating The Boring Phone we have gone back to basics, we have dialled down the tech to help people truly connect over a beer, without any distraction from the constant buzzing and dings.”
Bruno Bertelli, global CEO LePub and CCO Publicis Worldwide, added, “Heineken has always taken a stand towards the importance of socialising, recognising the value of genuine connections in a tech-immersed society. This approach has been constantly shown in its creative treatments. The introduction of The Boring Phone isn’t merely about disconnecting from mobiles; it’s about prioritising authentic interactions. It empowers individuals to reclaim their social lives and foster engagement in every shared moment. By creatively leveraging the resurgence of Y2K aesthetics and the pixelated style, the campaign brings back the appeal of dumb phones. Merging nostalgia and innovation, while embracing screen-free moments, The Boring Phone invites you on a journey to rediscover the power of human connection.”
Oliver Mak, co-founder of Bodega, commented, “At Bodega, we see ourselves as a vehicle for connecting culture and young people, so when Heineken approached us to collaborate on a project designed to do exactly this, we were excited to get involved. Despite having grown up surrounded by technology, us Gen Z and Millennials are now recognising that our dependence on our phones is impacting our ability to make actual, real-life connections. This in turn impacts our ability to have fun, and on a macro level, the development of culture. Smartphones can be too interesting, so we wanted to design a boring one. We were really inspired by the rise of Newtro and wanted to reinterpret a past cultural icon that some younger Zillennials may not have experienced before. We can’t wait to see the response to The Boring Phone as we merge our visions in a shared pursuit of creativity and community. This is truly going to help answer the call for better nights out.”
Credits:
Client: Heineken
Senior Director Global Brand: Nabil Nasser
Global Communication Director: Daniela Iebba
Global Digital Director: Rob van Griensven
Global Communication Manager: Guilherme de Marchi Retz
Global Head Digital Consumer Innovation: Natacha Volpini
Global PR Lead: Jonathan O’Lone
Global Brand PR Lead: Joseph Brophy
Global Director Design, Global innovation team: Mark Van Iterson
Italy Marketing Director: Jan Bosselaers
Italy Marketing Manager: Myrsini Tsoukaki
Italy Brand Managers: Larissa Koper & Elena Bellini
Agency: LePub
Global CEO LePub, CCO Publicis Worldwide: Bruno Bertelli
Global Chief Creative Officer: Cristiana Boccassini
Chief Creative Officer: Mihnea Gheorghiu
Executive Creative Directors: Andrey Tyukavkin & Eoin Sherry
Regional Executive Creative Director: Cyril Louis
Head of Art: Andrea Ferlauto
Creative Director:s Corina Patraucean & Rainor Marinho
Global Creative Director: Jack Christensen
Creative Director Art & Technology: Sergey Mast Associate
Associate Creative Directors: Valentino Borghesi, Geo Joseph, Roberto Ardigò, Rudy Zulkifly & Yuste de Lucas
Art Directors: Flavia Conti & Alejandro Gutierrez
Copywriter: Cristiana Candido & Nikolay Malchev
Junior Art Director: Peter Sjo
PR Manager: Eleonora Botta
Global Head of Creative Technology: Mauro Mazzei
Global Head of PR & Communication: Isabella Cecconi
Senior Digital PR Manager: Carol Verde
Head of Digital Production: Vittorio Cafiero
Chief Strategy Officer: Sol Ghafoor
Culture and Insights Director: Monica Radulescu
Director of Comms Planning: Shane Roche
Strategy Director: Adam Lotz
Global Data Strategy Director, Data & Culture Lab: Ilko Petkov
Group Chief Innovation Officier: Charles Laporte Aust
Head of Experience and Innovation: Francois Rousseau
Global Client Service Director: Shirine Aoun
Global Innovation Client Service Director: Carmit Poleg
Group Account Director: Ilaria Castiglioni, Luigi Palma
Account Director: Rossana de Rosa
Senior Project Manager: Adriana Dinu
Digital Project Manager: Keefe Cordeiro
Account Executive: Candida Franchi
Chief Production Officer: Francesca Zazzera
Head of TV Production: Anna Sica
Producer: Matilde Bonanni
Post-Producer: Sabrina Sanfratello
Art Buyers: Caterina Collesano, Giorgia Bellondi
Production & Print Managers: Daniela Inglieri, Tina Paolella
Production Company: Somesuch
Executive Producer: Tash Tan
Producer: Emory Ruegg
Director: Rollo Jackson
Director of Photography: Nikita Kuzmenko
Georgia Service Company: Radioaktive Shelter
Editors: Fabrizio Squeo, Enrico Munarini
Colior: Simone Grattarola @ TimeBasedArts
Post-Production: Prodigious
Mix: Disc2Disc
Photographer: Domingo Nardulli @ AuraPhoto
Producer: Valerio Cordioli
Retoucher: Mattia Giani @ MGCR Studio
Pixel Artist: Cristian Aranda @ Abueloretrowave
Media: Dentsu Redstar
Influencer Agency: The Romans
