Heineken's Technology Stops Smartphones From Ruining Gigs

The brand joins trend of musical artists asking fans to drop their phones during performances

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Heineken wants people to put down their phones.

In its latest bid to foster IRL social connections, the beer brand hacked two music events — Mexico’s Live Out festival and Amsterdam Dance Event’s opening party — to discourage phone use on the dance floor. With its creative agency LePub, Heineken installed technology that delivered a hidden message that only became visible on phone screens via infrared lighting.

When people held up their phones to film the performance, the message was revealed, telling attendees to keep the moment in their memories, not on their devices.

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