Heineken® Launches New WhatsApp Technology That Swaps Voice Notes for Real Life Conversations Over a Beer

Rhea-AI Summary

Heineken (HEINY) launched a WhatsApp pilot on Dec 10, 2025 in Brazil that rewards users who forward voice notes longer than three minutes with a voucher for a free beer and local bar recommendations.

The campaign responds to commissioned research of 14,000 respondents and Statista data showing ~9.4 billion WhatsApp voice notes sent daily, a 7% frequency rise and an 8% increase in length versus 2024; survey findings include 52% saying voice notes replace IRL interactions and 54% finding face-to-face conversations more fulfilling.

Key Figures

Daily voice notes 9.4 billion per day WhatsApp voice notes reported by Statista

Annual voice notes 3.4 trillion per year Equivalent annual WhatsApp voice notes

Usage increase 7% increase Voice note frequency vs 2024

Length increase 8% increase Average voice note length vs 2024

Survey sample 14,000 respondents Heineken-commissioned global survey, Nov 2025

Time spent 150 hours per year Average time sending/receiving voice notes

Replacing IRL 52% Share feeling voice notes replace real-life interactions

Gen Z replacement 60% Gen Z saying voice notes replace IRL interactions

Market Reality Check

$39.84 Last Close

Volume Volume 105,209 is below the 20-day average of 166,885 ahead of this launch news. low

Technical Shares at 39.13 are trading below the 200-day MA of 41.76, and about 16.07% below the 52-week high.

Peers on Argus

HEINY fell 1.24% with key beverages peers also down: PRNDY -1.67%, PDRDF -1.83%, DGEAF -1.95%, suggesting a broader defensive-sector softness rather than a reaction specific to this WhatsApp campaign.

Historical Context

Date	Event	Sentiment	Move	Catalyst
Dec 08	Share buyback update	Positive	-1.4%	Update on €1.5B buyback progress and recent repurchase volumes.
Dec 05	Management change	Positive	-1.1%	Appointment of new Regional President Americas to executive team.
Dec 04	Consumer study	Positive	-0.2%	Global survey on rising demand for low- and no-alcohol options.
Dec 03	Consumer attitudes	Positive	+0.9%	Study showing 2025 festive season acceptance of refusing alcohol.
Dec 01	Share buyback update	Positive	+0.4%	Details on first €750M tranche and cumulative buyback activity.

Pattern Detected

Recent news, including buybacks and brand studies, has often seen mixed or negative price reactions, even when updates appear shareholder-friendly.

Recent Company History

Over the last weeks, HEINY reported progress on its €1.5 billion share buyback with purchases exceeding 8.9 million shares and also announced leadership changes in the Americas. Multiple brand and moderation studies in early Dec 2025 highlighted shifting consumer attitudes toward low- and no-alcohol options. Despite generally constructive corporate updates, price reactions ranged from about -1.44% to 0.92%, indicating inconsistent alignment between seemingly positive news and short-term trading. Today’s WhatsApp-based promotion continues that focus on consumer behavior and brand engagement.

Market Pulse Summary

This announcement showcases Heineken’s use of WhatsApp technology to convert long voice notes into in-person meetups, offering free beer vouchers via a bot pilot in Brazil. It extends the company’s focus on social connection and consumer behavior seen in earlier 2025 studies. Investors may track user uptake, geographic expansion beyond Brazil, and any future disclosures on redemptions or related brand metrics to gauge how meaningfully this campaign supports broader strategic goals.

Key Terms

whatsapp bot technical

"Heineken® has created a WhatsApp bot in a bid to transform long voice note..."

A WhatsApp bot is an automated software program that sends and receives messages through the WhatsApp platform to handle tasks like customer questions, notifications, appointment booking, or simple transactions without a human operator. For investors, it matters because these bots can cut customer-service costs, speed up sales and support, and scale communication like adding a self-serve storefront in a busy store; their effectiveness can affect revenue, user growth, and regulatory or privacy risk exposure.

AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.

• More than nine billion voice notes are now sent every day, meaning they’ve become a new global symbol of digital distraction
• They’re getting longer, more one sided, and killing the art of conversation - some 76% of people globally says voice notes tend to be self-involved and over half even feel that they are replacing IRL connections
• In a new tech pilot, Heineken^® has created a WhatsApp bot in a bid to transform long voice note monologues into real-life chats
• App users who receive voice notes lasting three minutes or longer can exchange them for a free beer - and it comes with a recommendation of local bars to try too

AMSTERDAM, Dec. 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- We’ve all been sent voice notes that - instead of offering a quick update - turn into miniature podcasts lasting what seems like forever.

In the increasingly digital world we live in, voice notes are turning into yet another distraction that encourages us to bury our heads in our smartphones rather than making real life connections. Now Heineken^®, the champion of IRL socialising, has launched new WhatsApp technology that offers an ingenious incentive to those who’d prefer to meet up and connect face-to-face, bringing back the art of in person conversation.

The technology has been launched as a pilot in Brazil, where official data from META shows that Brazilians send four times as many voice notes than people in any other country.

The tech was devised after global research polling 14,000 respondents showed that in just one year, the average person spends almost 150 hours a year sending and receiving voice notes.

Not only are people spending a significant amount of time listening to voice notes, but they are impacting real-life social interactions too. Over half (52%) of those polled feel voice notes are replacing IRL interactions, rising to 60% amongst Gen Z. Nearly half (49%), meanwhile, admit to spending entire evenings sending voice notes to a friend instead of meeting in-person, even though 54% say they have their most fulfilling conversations face-to-face.

Global data and business intelligence platform Statista reported, in groundbreaking new data, that 9.4 billion WhatsApp voice notes are now sent every day (equivalent to about 3.4 trillion over the full year). When compared to 2024, their frequency has increased by 7%, and in length by 8%.

Stacy Jo Dixon, Social Media and Society Expert at Statista, said: “Our data suggests that voice notes are not just growing in frequency but also length. With nearly 9.5 billion voice notes sent daily on WhatsApp alone (compared to 7 billion in 2022), it’s evident that voice messaging is reshaping the way we communicate across the globe and taking on a more prominent role alongside traditional in-person interactions.”

While many use voice notes as a ‘catch up shortcut’, people are barely engaged with them. Over half (55%) admit they often forget to listen to them, and even when they do listen, attention is low: 88% forget what was actually said in the message.

Nabil Nasser, Global Head of Heineken^Ⓡ, said: "Just like we all know meetings that ‘could have been an email’, we’re now seeing voice notes that ‘Could have been a Heineken’.

“Voice notes can feel more personal than reading a message, but what our research shows is that we need to make sure they don’t turn into mini-podcasts, and that we’re having two-way conversations rather than an extended monologue.

“At Heineken, we want to make it easier for people to share moments of socialisation in real life. That’s why we have launched the ‘Could have been a Heineken’ WhatsApp bot, incentivising people to swap long voice notes for a refreshing in-person catch up over a beer of course.”

The ‘Could have been a Heineken’ WhatsApp technology is currently being tested in Brazil, with further global markets set to follow.

To redeem the offer, WhatsApp users over 18 must forward a voice note that they have received, which is longer than three minutes, to a private, encrypted bot. The user will then receive a message saying it ‘Could have been a Heineken’, alongside a voucher for a free beer and a recommendation of local bars to meet up with the friend in real life.

Notes to editors
Media contact:
HeinekenBrazil@wearetheromans.com

Research Credits:
*Heineken commissioned a survey of 14,000 respondents across the United Kingdom, USA, Germany, India, Brazil, United Arab Emirates and Romania. Research conducted by OnePoll, November 2025.

*Separately, Heineken commissioned Statista to supply the global data on voice note usage in 2024 and 2025

About Heineken^®
HEINEKEN^® is the world's most international brewer. It is the leading developer and marketer of premium beer and cider brands. Led by the Heineken^® brand, the Group has a portfolio of more than 300 international, regional, local and specialty beers and ciders. We are committed to innovation, long-term brand investment, disciplined sales execution and focused cost management. Through "Brewing a Better World", sustainability is embedded in the business. HEINEKEN® has a well-balanced geographic footprint with leadership positions in both developed and developing markets. We employ over 85,000 employees and operate breweries, malteries, cider plants and other production facilities in more than 70 countries. Heineken® N.V. and Heineken® Holding N.V. shares trade on the Euronext in Amsterdam. Prices for the ordinary shares may be accessed on Bloomberg under the symbols HEIA NA and HEIO NA and on Reuters under HEIN.AS and HEIO.AS. HEINEKEN® has two sponsored level 1 American Depositary Receipt (ADR) programmes: Heineken® N.V. (OTCQX: HEINY) and Heineken® Holding N.V. (OTCQX: HKHHY)

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/bd460a71-4e67-44c6-8b0c-cb1696242367

FAQ

What is Heineken's WhatsApp pilot announced on December 10, 2025 for HEINY?

A Brazil pilot where users who forward a received voice note longer than three minutes to an encrypted bot receive a voucher for a free beer and local bar recommendations.

How does the HEINY WhatsApp bot determine eligibility for a free beer voucher?

Users over 18 must forward a received voice note longer than three minutes to the private encrypted bot to receive the voucher.

What research and data support Heineken's December 2025 campaign for HEINY?

Heineken commissioned a 14,000‑person survey and used Statista data reporting ~9.4 billion WhatsApp voice notes daily and year‑over‑year increases in frequency (+7%) and length (+8%).

Will the HEINY WhatsApp voice‑note pilot expand beyond Brazil and when?

The company said the technology is being tested in Brazil with further global markets set to follow, but no rollout dates were provided.

What potential brand impact could the HEINY WhatsApp campaign have for investors?

The campaign aims to reinforce Heineken's positioning around in‑person socialising and raise brand engagement in markets with high voice‑note usage, such as Brazil.