YAHIA TAMER
ÙŠØيى تامر
HEINEKEN
MAKING BARS APPEAR IN FICTION TO HELP THEM IN REAL LIFE
STARRING BARS
CHALLENGE
All over the world, authentic, character-rich bars are disappearing in the face of rising costs, tighter regulations and less foot traffic.
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For Heineken®, these bars are part of the brand’s cultural DNA. The question was how to support them in a meaninful way that's true to the brand's role in bar culture.
IDEA
Bars have always been in the background of ads, films, and culture. So instead of building fake ones, we used the real thing.
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Heineken turned a production necessity into an economic model, committing to film in real bars that serve Heineken® and opening up that income stream for bars worldwide through the wider entertainment industry.
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EXECUTION
Starring Bars became a global casting platform for real venues.
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A digital catalogue let filmmakers search bars by mood, layout, and location, supported by a campaign film that put bar owners front and centre.
Out-of-home placements in key production cities spoke directly to directors and scouts.
The idea travelled across lifestyle, film, and trade media, reframing bars as cultural epicentres.
OUTCOME
CANNES RECOGNITION
Awarded a Silver Lion in PR, and two Bronze Lions in Entertainment and Creative B2B at Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.
COMMERCIAL REACH
300K+ average ad views per bar location and earned international coverage across titles including The Times, Financial Times and PRWeek.
SOCIETAL IMPACT
Redirected production budgets into local bar economies, creating a repeatable revenue stream and cultural visibility for real bars.
AGENCIES​
EDELMAN, LE PUB
SERVICES​
MEDIA STRATEGY, STORYTELLING, EARNED AMPLIFICATION