Heineken’s Seoul rooftop campaign reaches new heights in tackling loneliness /

In October 2025, Heineken launched Rooftop Revival in Seoul, transforming the city’s unused green rooftops into spaces for people to meet and socialise.

The campaign was created in response to research commissioned by Heineken, which found that 57% of 10,500 adults surveyed across major cities reported feeling lonely – with 33% experiencing a full week without any social interaction. That number rises to 47% for Gen Z and millennials.

Seoul was chosen as the pilot city due to what Heineken calls the ‘proximity paradox’ – a pattern where dense urban environments leave people feeling socially disconnected despite being physically surrounded by others. The South Korean capital also has an abundance of flat, green-painted rooftops – a legacy of urban planning choices that left much of the city with elevated but underused outdoor space.

To bring those spaces back to life, Heineken activated multiple rooftops across the city over three days. Each became the stage for one of three events: an intimate live set by Seventeen’s Dino, a design workshop hosted by contemporary artist Cha Inchul, and an interactive tasting session led by Culinary Class Wars chef Cho SeoHyeoung.

Each location was pinpointed using high-res satellite imagery captured by US-based provider Maxar. Heineken’s iconic red star marked each site – a visual cue and brand beacon. ‘Our red star against a green backdrop isn’t just an icon – it’s an invitation to the world,’ said Nabil Nasser, Heineken’s global head of brand, in a statement. ‘A calling card for communities to come together, share experiences, and rediscover the joy of social connection.’

The campaign’s visual storytelling was led by aerial photographer Tom Hegen, who captured the transformed rooftops from above. His striking overhead shots were not only used to document the activation but also featured across digital out-of-home screens around Seoul, extending the campaign’s reach and reinforcing the message that connection can start from overlooked spaces. ‘These events are proof that solutions to loneliness don’t always require new infrastructure – just a new perspective to refresh social life,’ Hegen said.

The initiative forms part of Heineken’s global platform, A Cure for Loneliness, which aims to spark real-world connections in cities where community feels harder to find. You can read more on how brands are responding to social isolation in our trend spotlight on the loneliness epidemic.

The campaign was created by LePub Milan and Singapore with Publicis Groupe Korea, Seoul.