Heineken unveils WhatsApp technology that turns long voice note monologues into real-life chats
Heineken has launched new WhatsApp technology pitched at those who’d prefer to meet up and connect face to face. This has gone live as a pilot in Brazil, with further markets set to follow.
The tech was devised after global research polling 14,000 respondents showed that in just one year, the average person spends almost 150 hours a year sending and receiving voice notes.
52% of those polled feel voice notes are replacing IRL interactions, rising to 60% amongst Gen Z. 49%, meanwhile, admit to spending entire evenings sending voice notes to a friend instead of meeting in-person, even though 54% say they have their most fulfilling conversations face-to-face.
“Our data suggests that voice notes are not just growing in frequency but also length. With nearly 9.5 billion voice notes sent daily on WhatsApp alone (compared to seven billion in 2022), it’s evident that voice messaging is reshaping the way we communicate across the globe and taking on a more prominent role alongside traditional in-person interactions,” says Stacy Jo Dixon, Social Media and Society Expert at Statista.
“Just like we all know meetings that ‘could have been an email’, we’re now seeing voice notes that ‘Could have been a Heineken’. Voice notes can feel more personal than reading a message, but what our research shows is that we need to make sure they don’t turn into mini podcasts, and that we’re having two way conversations rather than an extended monologue,” says Nabil Nasser, Global Head at Heineken Brand.
“We want to make it easier for people to share moments of socialisation in real life. That’s why we have launched the ‘Could have been a Heineken’ WhatsApp bot, incentivising people to swap long voice notes for a refreshing in-person catch up over a beer of course.”
To redeem the offer, WhatsApp users over 18 must forward a voice note that they have received, which is longer than three minutes, to a private, encrypted bot. They will then receive a message saying it ‘Could have been a Heineken’, alongside a voucher for a free beer and a recommendation of local bars to meet up with the friend in real life.
2025 RTIH INNOVATION AWARDS
Hospitality and leisure was a key focus area at the 2025 RTIH Innovation Awards.
We received a record number of entries and many fantastic examples of the continued resilience and dynamism of the retail space during hugely challenging times.
For a full rundown of all of the shortlisted entries, click here.
Our 2025 hall of fame entrants were revealed during a sold out event which took place at The HAC in Central London on 16th October and consisted of a drinks reception, three course meal, and awards ceremony presided over by award winning comedian, actress and writer Tiff Stevenson.
In his welcome speech, Scott Thompson, Founder and Editor, RTIH, said: “This is the awards’ fifth year as a physical event. We started off with just 30 people at the South Place Hotel not far from here, then moved to London Bridge Hotel, then The Barbican, and last year RIBA’s HQ in the West End.”
“But I’m conscious of the fact that, to quote the legend that is Taylor Swift, You’re only as hot as your last hit, baby. So, this year we’ve moved to our biggest venue yet, and also pulled in our largest number of entries to date and broken attendance records.”
He added: “This year’s submissions have without doubt been our best yet. To quote one of the judges: The examples of innovative developments across both traditional and digital retail spaces were truly remarkable.”
Congratulations to our winners, and a big thank you to our sponsors, judging panel, the legend that is Tiff Stevenson, and all those who attended our 2025 gathering.
Continue reading…