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Dive Brief:

• Heineken is tapping into FIFA World Cup hype with a new campaign that launches today, May 13, and leverages volunteerism to encourage U.S. consumers to skip work and watch soccer matches, according to information shared with Marketing Dive.
• “Heineken Fan Volunteers” urges consumers to take advantage of the Volunteer Time Off workplace benefit to serve local nonprofits and connect with others while simultaneously tuning into World Cup matches. Consumers can sign-up with a dedicated link to find local volunteer opportunities that align with match days.
• The campaign includes a corporate-style video that uses humor to describe how to take VTO. The effort will run nationwide throughout the summer and was created in partnership with Heineken’s creative agency of record Le Pub New York. Materials will run on digital and social media channels, including Meta, TikTok and YouTube.

Dive Insight:

Heineken is encouraging consumers to take advantage of the often underused VTO workplace benefit to serve their local communities while simultaneously tuning into World Cup matches, 40% of which occur during U.S. working hours, according to data cited in press materials. The “Heineken Fan Volunteers” campaign connects to a larger push by the brand to label itself the “Official Beer of Soccer” in the U.S., a status it has looked to claim through a number of efforts connecting it to the sport. 

Heineken’s latest effort comes as interest in soccer reaches a fever pitch ahead of the World Cup’s June 11 kickoff. Key to the campaign is a dedicate link that consumers can follow to be made aware of local volunteer opportunities that align with match days and connect with other fans. Each activation is hosted in partnership with registered nonprofit organizations. 

Additionally, the campaign includes a corporate-style launch film, which blends restraint with tongue-in-cheek humor to explain to consumers how to leverage their VTO. Heineken also hosted two VTO-themed in-person activations in Miami and New York this week timed to the UEFA Champions League semi-finals, which Heineken has been sponsoring since 1994. That sponsorship is set to end in 2027. 

The brewer plans to increase visibility for the campaign during key “soccer moments” with a TikTok Top Feed and a Reddit Category Takeover.

Heineken’s campaign could resonate with consumers by tapping into a shared reality. Over half, 52%, of U.S. desk employees have lied to their employer to watch an international soccer game, according to data cited in press materials. Of these employees, three-quarters have either checked scores at their desk or secretly streamed matches. 

The brewer’s campaign is meant to tailor its global “Fans Have More Friends” platform to the American experience. Launched in January, the platform unites the brand’s sponsorships across soccer, Formula 1 and music festivals for the first time. The platform also builds on Heineken’s long-running brand ethos of togetherness and connecting over shared interests. 

The 2026 FIFA World Cup, the first to be held in the U.S. since 1994, has been a major focal point for many marketers. For months, brands such as Coca-Cola and Coors Light have rolled out campaigns meant to appeal to both domestic and international soccer fans. 

The Heineken company has recently made efforts to reduce the number of agencies it works with, including consolidating creative work between Publicis Groupe, WPP and Stagwell. The company saw a first quarter net revenue increase of 2.8% and a total volume increase of 1.2% over the year-ago period.