Sober curiosity is on the rise as a growing number of consumers choose an alcohol-free  lifestyle all year round. Yet drinking culture continues to place both pressure and judgement on this personal choice.

A new campaign from Heineken 0.0 takes on outdated stigmas to empower alcohol-free drinking without judgment.  

The campaign ‘0.0 Reasons Needed’ from Publicis Worldwide, pokes fun at outdated assumptions, to underline that it doesn’t matter why someone doesn’t want to drink.

Launching in January, a time when many take part in ‘Dry January’, the campaign aims to send the clear message: ‘If someone goes dry, it doesn’t matter why’. The ethos of the campaign questions the need for abstinence months like Dry January as the only reason to choose non-alcoholic options.

A series of films pokes fun at some of the assumptions as to why someone would choose an alcohol-free drink. One iteration shows a boss seeing employees drinking Heineken 0.0 and presumes this is because they are still hard at work. The boss gives the workers the next day off to recover from their hard work but the camera pans to show they are hardly working and instead watching the football while they share an alcohol-free beer. Other scenarios include assuming someone must be the designated driver, or they’re on a health kick.

Poking fun at those who mistake choice for reason, ‘0.0 Reasons Needed’ uplifts those who simply want to enjoy a Heineken 0.0 for its great taste. The films were directed by Hanna Maria Hendrich and filmed in Barcelona.

Empowering sober decisions

Research from Heineken has shown that in the UK, USA, Spain and Japan, Gen Z (those aged 18-26) are facing social pressures around alcohol consumption the most across all age groups. 21% have been called out about their choice of a non-alcoholic drink and say they have concealed drinking low or non-alcoholic drinks because of social pressures while more than one-third have felt pressure to drink alcohol in some social situations.

“Our study has uncovered some fascinating insights into evolving societal attitudes towards alcohol consumption.” explains Charles Spence, Professor of Experimental Psychology at the University of Oxford, “For many, alcohol is no longer the default in social situations – we’re seeing a shift towards more mindful consumption. Yet, in cultures where drinking alcohol is still predominantly viewed as the norm, opting out can be stigmatised.”

38% of men in Gen Z say they would be willing to drink no or low-alcohol versions of alcoholic drinks, but only if their friends do too. If and when Gen Z men choose to drink a low or no-alcohol version of alcoholic drinks, they also feel they need to explain and justify their choice of drink and even feel like “outsiders” for doing so (29%).

Heineken 0.0’s ‘0.0 Reasons Needed’ campaign aims to combat the stigma and stereotypes surrounding not drinking by eliminating the questions around choosing an alcohol-free drink. By increasing the acceptability of low and non-alcoholic drinks and poking fun at those that continue to raise eyebrows, the campaign aims to shift the culture and empower Gen Z to have more autonomy over their decisions.