Heineken’s ‘Boring Phone’ helps you socialize like it’s 1997 instead of 2024

Smartphones really have pretty much ruined society, haven’t they? On the plus side, that gives marketers something to push back against—as Heineken does in a new campaign centered around the creation of a ’90s-era mobile phone. Armed with various grim statistics—90% of people admit to habitually scrolling on nights out, with 37% believing they check their phones more often than they should—Heineken teamed up with U.S. fashion brand Bodega to create The Boring Phone. The stylish yet bare-bones device limits your digital options so you can focus on connecting with the people around you. The resurgence of so-called “dumb phones” in the smartphone era has been happening for a while—a decent portion of Gen Z recognizes the extent of the time they’re wasting as well as the deleterious mental health effects of endless scrolling—but this project adds a further cool factor to the notion of digitally disengaging. The Boring Phone’s primary function is to send and receive calls and text messages, though as the video shows, you can also take a few low-res photos and play a silly-looking game called Quick Snake. The device has a transparent casing and holographic stickers that Heineken says “draw inspiration from Gen Z’s love of Newtro fashion.” With creative led by agency LePub, The Boring Phone was unveiled at Milan Design Week last Thursday. It was physically produced by European mobile brand Human Mobile Devices (HMD), which is the current maker of Nokia devices. Some 5,000 Boring Phones are being produced and will be given away to revelers around the world. Global PR agency The Romans and media agency Dentsu Redstar also worked on the campaign. “Heineken has always taken a stand toward the importance of socializing, recognizing the value of genuine connections in a tech-immersed society,” said Bruno Bertelli, global CEO of LePub and chief creative officer of Publicis Worldwide. “The introduction of The Boring Phone isn’t merely about disconnecting from mobiles; it’s about prioritizing authentic interactions. It empowers individuals to reclaim their social lives and foster engagement in every shared moment.” Nabil Nasser, global head of Heineken, said many Gen Z and millennial consumers “feel they are habitually distracted when socializing 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.”

Heineken’s ‘Boring Phone’ helps you socialize like it’s 1997 instead of 2024

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