Dialing Up Nights Out

Heineken & Bodega Launch the No-Frills ‘Boring Phone’

• Heineken and US brand and retail marketplace Bodega have launched ‘The Boring Phone', to help people discover there is more to their social life when there is less on their phone
• In a world where smartphones are becoming too interesting, ‘The Boring Phone’ takes things back to basics with no access to the internet, social media or other apps
• The device will be shown for the first time on Thursday 18th April at a pop-up Bodega at Milan Design Week; the world’s leading festival for design and innovation
• Following research that reveals 90% of people admit to habitually scrolling on nights out, Heineken has answered the “call” from young adults who want to disconnect from their tech

MILAN, April 17, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Heineken, in collaboration with tastemakers in street culture, Bodega have launched ‘The Boring Phone’.

The limited run of ‘dumb’ phones – specifically designed to have reduced tech capabilities - has been created to encourage people to enjoy better real-life connections on nights out by disconnecting from their smartphones.

With smartphones becoming so advanced and interesting to the user, it’s easier than ever to connect to the online world but harder to stay in the moment. Produced by European mobile innovator, Human Mobile Devices (HMD), the Heineken x Bodega Boring Phone strips back the distractions of today’s smartphones. Designed to deliver the basics needed for a great night out, the phone’s primary function is to send and receive calls and text messages.

The phone’s transparent casing and holographic stickers draw inspiration from Gen Z’s love of Newtro fashion and design and are reminiscent of mobile phones of the early 2000s. With modern-day frills removed, the phone is unable to download social media or other apps that take away from being present. It also has a handy week of standby time and up to 20 hours of talk time.

As smartphones continue to dominate attention spans globally, new research commissioned by Heineken reveals 90% of Zillennials* across the UK and US confess to doom scrolling while socialising with friends and family; checking their devices seven times each night out on average.

When it comes to the biggest distractions, two-thirds admit to checking social media (62%) when hanging out with others, while over a third (36%) confess to checking work emails. Three in ten (30%) also revealed they sneakily play games instead of engaging with their family and friends in the moment.