Heineken’s original action at concerts: “Hidden Message”

Heineken’s campaign encourages spectators to use their mobile phones less when they go to concerts.

The emergence of smartphones and their combination with social networks have made each of us want to immortalize every moment when we attend a great concert. A practice that is beginning to annoy some artists, since they only see an amalgam of devices recording them continuously.

To encourage spectators to enjoy the concert more and not worry so much about wanting to record everything, Heineken has carried out an original action at festivals in Mexico and the Netherlands to send hidden messages to attendees.

Heineken – Hidden Message

“Hidden Message” is the title of the action carried out by Heineken by the LePub agency at the Silver Live Out festivals in Mexico and Amsterdam Dance Event in the Netherlands. The idea? to try to get people to enjoy concerts without recording them on their mobile phones.

To do this, they placed messages on both sides of the stages. They were hidden from view but if you focused your mobile phone on them, you could see them. This was achieved through an infrared screen that revealed the message “Save this concert in your memory, not on your cell phone” accompanied by a QR code. If you scanned it, you could download an app called “Boring Mode” that turned smartphones into old phones.

And according to a study, 35% of generation Z and millennials admit that they check their phones too often. 60% said they would enjoy concerts more if they didn’t carry their devices and 55% admitted that they never watch the videos they capture at concerts.

According to Nabil Nasser, Global Director of Heineken, in a statement: “While technology gives us endless conveniences, it also prevents us from stopping and enjoying what’s happening around us… Boring Mode helps people stop capturing moments for social media and instead enjoy what’s in front of them.”

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