The Challenge

For more than 150 years Heineken has stood for openness, believing that the simple act of sitting down and having a conversation over a beer, helps bring people together. But if your brand line is ‘Open Your World’, you have to do more than simply say it, you have to bring meaning to it. 

The idea was to ignite consumers with a meaningful story by inviting polar opposites to find something in common. Prove that when you see past the labels, even the most divided can come together. 

The Strategy

Not only the genesis for our Worlds Apart film, but also the foundation for a first-of-its-kind partnership with a unique not-for-profit, the Human Library – a global organisation with a UK outpost that uses conversation to challenge stereotypes. 

Every ‘book’ in The Human Library™ is a real person with a story – from street sleepers and refugees, to transgender and people with life-changing illnesses. 

Each ‘book’ can be loaned for a conversation and a chance to find common ground. 

Heineken is making an ongoing commitment to drive change by taking action both at a corporate and brand level, lending its scale to the Human Library and leading people to think and act differently as a result.

The Outcome

The campaign generated widespread global engagement across 150 countries.

#OpenYourWorld became a trending topic on X (formerly Twitter) with 22,000 social media mentions; with the sentiment being overwhelmingly positive (87%).

A number of celebrities took to X to praise the campaign, including Perez Hilton, Piers Morgan, Sarah Silverstone, Jane Lynch, Jennifer Saunders and Trevor Donovan.