Hi-Tech Heineken Beer Bottle Opener Fights Work-Life Imbalance

Global beer giant Heineken is tackling the non-stop work ethos a high-tech bottle opener that immediately shuts all work apps when a bottle of beer is opened with it.

Yes!!!!!!

The Closer is Heineken’s Bluetooth-enabled bottle opener that forces a laptop into sleep mode when used to open a bottle.

As Man of Many reports “Once the device moves upward with enough force to open a bottle, it sends a signal to the connected device to force it into sleep mode. While The Closer is real, Heineken says it’s meant to be a satirical symbol to remind workers they already have everything they need to close down work and enjoy time with friends.

It is also the centerpiece of Heineken’s new campaign designed by its agency partner Publicis Worldwide and the video spot they did for it is hilarious…

 

“As a brand, we have always stood for creating moments of shared connections with others,” said Bram Westenbrink, global head Heineken brand at Heineken.

“But with the once-rigid boundaries between work and personal time rapidly deteriorating following the Covid-19 pandemic, we wanted to spark a much-needed conversation about the importance of resisting the societal pressures to be in a constant state of work, and encourage workers around the world to reprioritize social and leisure time with the people who matter most.”

Heineken plans an exclusive launch event with actor Billy Eichner giving a keynote address. And burnt-out workers in the US will be able to enter for a chance to win a Closer bottle opener on June 8, but the promotion will only be open from 10 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. ET.

Heineken will also reward some of the first recipients with beer money once they use the Closer to shut down their computers at the end of the workday, so that’s cool.

“As people continue to feel like they have to work all the time, they’re forgetting that disconnecting is even an option,” said Bruno Bertelli, global chief creative officer of Publicis Worldwide.

“That’s why we created ‘The Closer.’ It’s not just technology; it’s a social provocation to help people see that the pressure to work all the time is getting a little ridiculous and we all have the power to log off and go hang out with our friends again.”

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(All image credits: Heineken)