Joe Jonas and Heineken bring in a social media apocalypse in new ad

Imagine a world where social media validation isn’t the ultimate goal. Consider the possibility of individuals opting out of social media, even though it is readily available. That’s exactly the world that Heineken is showcasing in its new ad featuring Joe Jonas. 

The campaign emphasises the importance of forging real-life connections and explores the theme of social media fatigue. The ad even features a beautiful rendition of Louis Armstrong’s What a Wonderful World, sung by Jonas himself. 

In the ad, Joe Jonas is wandering a post-apocalyptic city where social media influencers struggle to find an audience. The influencers are depicted struggling to cope with the absence of online engagement. It showcases that even social media viral trends, such as life-like cakes, famous dances, and mukbangs, are struggling to find an audience. 

After wandering the deserted city for a while, he stumbles upon a bar with the Heineken logo. Jonas then sees people socialising, laughing, making jokes, and having a good time. He eventually joins them. 

“Sorry, Social Media. Social Networking since 1873,” says the ad at the end. 

The campaign is titled ‘Social off Social’, as everyone is connecting in real life instead of on social media. 

According to reports, it’s being positioned as Heineken’s largest marketing initiative for 2025, aiming to spark a broader conversation about digital wellness and the benefits of real-world socialising. 

The campaign was launched alongside a large-scale offline event featuring social media creators such as Victoria's Secret models Martha Hunt and Graice Carvalho, Yankees pitcher Luke Weaver, socialite Ivy Getty and high-profile influencers including Lil Cherry and Paul Olima.

The brand’s ‘Social Off Socials’ campaign is a direct extension and evolution of its long-standing brand strategy: championing authentic, in-person social connections as the core of its brand purpose. 

The brand also conducted an extensive study examining the screen time of 17,000 adults worldwide. Heineken uncovered that the average person now spends approximately 5 hours and 48 minutes per day looking at their device. That equates to a massive 127,020 minutes a year - a full 88 days.

The study further mentions that 52% are overwhelmed by the pressure to keep up with social media.  62% (and 75% of Gen Z) say that despite being able to connect with anyone instantly via their phone, they can feel lonely.

Speaking about the campaign, Heineken’s global head of brands, Nabil Nasser, said, "At Heineken, we've always believed that the best connections are created in real life. I'm a big fan and participant on social media, but it's also important to take a break and experience things IRL, too.” 

He adds that this campaign is a gentle reminder that “stepping away from our screens can lead to more refreshing and meaningful social experiences and help us feel less overwhelmed by the constant notifications on our phones”. 

“Working with creators—who are by their nature always online—to highlight the solution may seem ironic, but they too realise it's about balance and were as eager as us to encourage IRL socialising.” 

As many people feel overwhelmed by the pressure of constant online engagement, the brand aims to demonstrate through this campaign that how simple it can be to step away from social media.