Insight & Strategy: 0.0 Reasons Needed /

In January 2025, Contagious covered Heineken’s 0.0 Reasons Needed campaign, which comprised a series of short ads that positioned its non-alcoholic beer based on its taste and not simply as an alternative when drinking alcohol isn’t an option. 

The humorous global ads, created by LePub, aim to challenge negative perceptions about non-alcoholic beer (many consumers don’t believe it tastes as good as the alcoholic version). 

Results Updated 12/5/2025: According to the agency, the campaign had a total engagement of 10,300 with a potential reach of 979 million. The campaign received a 97% positive/neutral sentiment.

To understand more about why Heineken 0.0 has flipped the focus of its global advertising strategy we spoke with Le Pub’s chief strategy officer Sol Ghafoor and CEO and chief creative officer Bruno Bertelli, alongside Daniela Iebba, global strategy and communication director at Heineken. They told us:

1. Stigma is a significant barrier to adoption of non-alcoholic beer in a range of social scenarios
2. The new campaign addresses stereotypes head-on and focuses on the taste of the product 
3. Humour is used to address the tension around everyday situations and then to release it with an unexpected twist
4. Consistency of tone and branding lies at the heart of the campaign combined with insight from local markets 

• Consumer trends in zero alcohol 
• The brief and target audience 
• Key insights and strategy 
• Landing humour with global appeal
• Consistency wins and what’s next

What are the consumer trends shaping the zero-alcohol beer category? 

Daniela Iebba: To name the big one, moderation, but also wellbeing and more self-awareness that wellbeing matters.

Sol Ghafoor: Today, moderation has gone fully mainstream – and choosing to enjoy a non-alcoholic beer has become relatively normal compared to just a few years ago. In fact, some people are choosing to drink 0.0 just because they like the taste of beer and don’t feel like having alcohol.  

And what about the barriers to adoption faced by Heineken 0.0 and other zero brands?

Iebba: The first one is availability, simply reminding people at point of sale that this is an option and having Heineken 0.0 close by. And people really love draft beer, so we are accelerating the innovation of Heineken 0.0 draft.

The second big barrier is taste preconception. Breakthrough technological innovation has helped us to create the same great taste of Heineken in a non-alcoholic version. And once people try it, they love it, and they keep on drinking it. Addressing this barrier is fundamental, and the way we do that is to sample as much as we can.

And then the third big barrier is the social stigma. When you have a non-alcoholic beer in a social setting, often you are likely the victim of questions and stigmas around why you're doing that – ‘are you pregnant?’, ‘do you need to work?’, or ‘are you on medication?’ What we really want to do is tackle this stigma via our communication.

What was the brief to the agency? 

Sol Ghafoor: The brief was crystal clear: as the category leader, how do we break down pervasive barriers – stigma and taste misconceptions – and inspire more people to enjoy Heineken 0.0 across all social occasions? 

Iebba: We really saw that the big volumes were coming from beer occasions, social occasions – not just those moments where you have to not drink, but also those moments where you want to not drink. So, first of all, it is growing the penetration of Heineken 0.0 in beer moments. Second, is the premiumisation and making 0.0 cool because if people are more inclined to confidently choose Heineken 0.0, because it’s just a cool thing to do, they don’t feel social pressure.

Who are you targeting? 

Iebba: The Heineken brand target people aged 18 to 45 across the globe – of course making sure they are above legal drinking age per market. This is more a communication target because the real volume target is much bigger than that – we’ve learned that it’s both about non-alcoholic beer drinkers, but also non-alcoholic beer non-rejectors as we call them. 

How much is this a new direction for Heineken 0.0 – the use of humour and emphasis on the taste of the product for instance?

Ghafoor: Humour and wit have always been at the heart of Heineken’s campaigns – it’s what makes them memorable. Humour was a key component in the Now You Can campaign but while the original campaign showcased Heineken 0.0 in non-beer moments – such as driving or gym sessions – this time we needed to flip the script.  

This new campaign positions Heineken 0.0 squarely in classic beer moments, challenging pervasive stereotypes head-on and proving it’s a desirable, great tasting choice for any social occasion.

What did you want to achieve for the brand and for its audience? 

Ghafoor: The strategy is quite simple: you don’t need a special reason to enjoy Heineken 0.0 – just its great taste.

We’re empowering consumers to confidently choose Heineken 0.0 without fear of judgment or the need for explanations. By normalising its presence in any social occasion, we’re overcoming barriers, expanding its appeal, and driving growth – all while solidifying Heineken 0.0’s position as the market leader. 

The strategy has led to a platform that we can run over many years with activations and communications that can really flex to tackle different stereotypes or reasons people might need to drink a 0.0 across many occasions and in different market contexts. 

Can you talk a little about the challenges involved in bringing this to life creatively? 

Bruno Bertelli: Our creative approach was built on three key pillars. First, authenticity – we spent considerable time to find real situations where people felt they needed to justify their choice of a non-alcoholic beer. Second, relatability – we wanted to create scenarios that would resonate across different markets and demographics, which required careful consideration of universal social dynamics. And third, sophisticated humour – we needed to find a way to address these assumptions that would make people smile and reflect, rather than feel preached to.

The breakthrough came when we decided to lean into these assumptions rather than avoid them. By building tension around these everyday moments and then releasing it with an unexpected twist, we found a way to make our point while keeping everyone entertained. It's like telling a good joke – timing is everything. And just like the perfect punchline, our message lands better with a laugh than a lecture.

Music too became our secret ingredient – it helps us navigate these moments of tension and release, adding just the right amount of playfulness without compromising Heineken’s sophisticated point of view. 

How did you land a tone that would land globally? 

Bertelli: Humour is tricky when you’re talking to the whole world at once. What’s hilarious in London might fall flat in Lagos. So, we focused on those universal moments we all share – like the raised eyebrow when you order a non-alcoholic beer at a party, or that knowing look from friends when you choose a 0.0.

We kept the humour subtle and smart, building it around situations that feel familiar no matter where you are. Turns out, the language of raised eyebrows is wonderfully universal. 

What was the media plan? 

Bertelli: While our TV spots kick off strategically during Dry January, they’re just the beginning of a much bigger story. We’ve built an ecosystem that meets different audiences wherever they are, each with their own take on challenging assumptions about 0.0.

In supermarkets, shoppers pause at displays that flip expectations on their head. On social media, we crafted fit-for-format stories that bring the same assumption-breaking impact in a snappier way. We’ve adapted our message for every format and touchpoint – from Instagram to out-of-home statements – each adding its own flavour while reinforcing the same confident message: Heineken 0.0 is a choice you make for its great taste, no reasons needed.

Whether you’re a fitness enthusiast scrolling through Instagram or a food lover browsing the beverage aisle, we’re showing up with relevant content that speaks to your interests while challenging those old assumptions about non-alcoholic beer. 

Can you share any early results that show the impact of the campaign? 

Iebba: The PR launch went amazingly – we’ve seen more than 1 billion potential impressions. And we’ve seen 2,000 mentions of Heineken 0.0 in social media, and there’s no negative sentiment at all around the campaign. 

​​​​​​​What have you learnt from the campaign that you can take forward? 

Ghafoor: For us, how quickly the non-alcoholic beer category is changing, necessitating adaptability on behalf of brands. The consumer insights around the category that resonated just a few years ago feel terribly outdated today. 

Iebba: The globe is different, and the markets are very different. But if you think about social pressure and social judgment it’s true everywhere, so the moment you find that globally relevant insight then it's easier to localise the campaign and to make it more relevant in different parts of the world.

What’s next for the campaign?

Iebba: It will run for two years, and actually may run for longer because consistency is another of the biggest learnings that we’ve had since we started in 2017. We’re already thinking of how to enrich the campaign with new subjects and with new content coming from the markets.

We will learn what markets like and what works more in media. But also, we have a lot of opportunities with our sponsorships, so we will keep on using our ambassadors. There’s more to come and consistency is the key.