Dialing Up Nights Out: Heineken® & Bodega Launch the No-Frills
‘Boring Phone’
Heineken®, in collaboration with tastemakers in street culture,
Bodega have launched ‘The Boring Phone’.
The limited run of ‘dumb’ phones –
specifically designed to have reduced tech capabilities - has been
created to encourage people to enjoy better real-life connections
on nights out by disconnecting from their smartphones.
With smartphones becoming so advanced and
interesting to the user, it’s easier than ever to connect to the
online world but harder to stay in the moment. Produced by European
mobile innovator, Human Mobile Devices (HMD), the Heineken® x
Bodega Boring Phone strips back the distractions of today’s
smartphones. Designed to 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’s 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.
With modern-day frills removed, 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.
As smartphones continue to dominate attention
spans globally, new research commissioned by Heineken® reveals 90%
of Zillennials* across the UK and US confess to doom scrolling
while socialising with friends and family; checking their devices
seven times each night out on average.
When it comes to the biggest distractions,
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.
But as over a third (37%) reveal that they check
their phones more often than they should when socialising, the tide
is beginning to turn with 32% admitting 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.
Heineken® and Bodega have embarked on this
partnership to show people that there is more to their social life
when there is less on their phone.
Nabil Nasser, the Global Head of
Heineken® comments, “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.”
Oliver Mak, co-founder of Bodega
adds, “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.”
Emerging Ibiza-based, British producer, TSHA,
who is quickly becoming one of the most exciting young artists in
the industry, will be celebrating The Boring Phone launch with a
giveaway to fans, having experienced first-hand how smart tech
serves as a barrier to being in the moment at music events.
TSHA says, “As an artist, you
want to connect with the audience to know they’re having a good
time, but it’s hard to do this when you look up from the decks and
see a sea of smartphones flashing in your face. I would love to see
a world where we enter the venue and just live in the moment;
connect with the artist, your mates and just have a good time. The
Heineken x Bodega Boring Phone is the perfect antidote to the
barriers smart tech pose to nights out.”
Heineken® and Bodega will unveil The Boring
Phone at Milan Design Week on Thursday 18th April, with a party
hosted by the collaborators. 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.
To discover more about The Boring Phone and why
ditching smart tech enables better nights out, visit
www.heineken.com/theboringphone.
Notes to editors:For more
information, images and interview requests please contact
Heinekenboringphone@wearetheromans.com.
Research*:Heineken commissioned
survey of 4,000 Gen Z and Millennial Smartphone users of legal
drinking age (2,000 UK, and 2,000 USA). Conducted by OnePoll, March
2024. Data can be separated into just UK/US/Gen Z/Millennial
demographics if required. Further data from Italy, Brazil, Germany
and Mexico available upon request.
About the Boring Phone
Dimensions |
108 x 55 x 18.9mm, 123g |
Displays |
Internal: 2.8” QVGA | External: 1.77" QQVGA |
Camera |
0.3MP + LED flash |
Design |
Ergonomic flip phone with DualSIM |
Audio |
FM radio (wired/wireless) |
Connectivity |
2G, 3G, 4G | Bluetooth 4.2 | 3.5mm AV jack | Micro USB |
Battery |
1,450mAh (removable)Up to 6 hrs 3G/4G networks talk time. Up to
20hrs talk time in 2G networkss | Over a week of standby time |
Storage |
Internal: 128MB | MicroSD slot up to 32GB |
Charging |
Micro USB |
About BodegaFounded in 2006 as
a conceptual retail space encompassing street culture and
contemporary fashion, Bodega has evolved into a global tastemaker
within traditional retail, e-commerce, art experiences, and design.
Based in Boston, MA & Downtown LA, Bodega’s fully hidden,
experimental retail space has been described as a living art
installation and is one of the most talked about experiences on the
planet https://bdgastore.com/.
About Heineken®HEINEKEN® is the
world's most international brewer. It is the leading developer and
marketer of premium beer and cider brands. Led by the Heineken®
brand, the Group has a portfolio of more than 300 international,
regional, local and specialty beers and ciders. We are committed to
innovation, long-term brand investment, disciplined sales execution
and focused cost management. Through "Brewing a Better World",
sustainability is embedded in the business. HEINEKEN® has a
well-balanced geographic footprint with leadership positions in
both developed and developing markets. We employ over 85,000
employees and operate breweries, malteries, cider plants and other
production facilities in more than 70 countries. Heineken® N.V. and
Heineken® Holding N.V. shares trade on the Euronext in Amsterdam.
Prices for the ordinary shares may be accessed on Bloomberg under
the symbols HEIA NA and HEIO NA and on Reuters under HEIN.AS and
HEIO.AS. HEINEKEN® has two sponsored level 1 American Depositary
Receipt (ADR) programmes: Heineken® N.V. (OTCQX: HEINY) and
Heineken® Holding N.V. (OTCQX: HKHHY).
Photos accompanying this announcement are
available at:
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/bf1d5f77-97b1-41b1-916e-1eedeed86e77
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/fe93accb-37fd-47f1-9067-3596d67f4f68