Heineken's The Closer was a 2022 campaign built around a Bluetooth bottle opener that puts nearby laptops to sleep when you open a beer. Created with Publicis, launched on June 1, 2022 and unveiled by actor Billy Eichner, it turned work-life imbalance into a product, a launch event and a calendar tool. The lesson for PR teams is that a single physical object can carry a whole brand message.

What was Heineken's The Closer?

The Closer was a high-tech bottle opener, branded with Heineken, that shuts work applications when it opens a Heineken bottle. Heineken described it as a satirical symbol of every worker's power to close down at the end of the day.

A Heineken spokesperson told Adweek that the device uses Bluetooth to put nearby laptops into sleep mode, according to Marketing Dive. The campaign ran in the wake of remote work, when workdays had stretched. Heineken's global head of brand, Bram Westenbrink, tied it to the brand's stand for "moments of shared connection," per Heineken's release.

How did the campaign launch?

The campaign launched with a satirical film and a press-style event, then moved to a limited giveaway and a calendar tool.

  1. June 1, 2022: Heineken announced the campaign, with Publicis as the lead agency, through a global release.
  2. A launch event that imitated a tech product keynote, with Billy Eichner presenting the opener as the gadget that solves a problem created by other remote-work technology.
  3. June 8, 2022: U.S. workers could enter for a chance to win an opener at heineken.com/closer. Marketing Dive reported that entries stayed open for a one-hour window.
  4. After the openers were claimed, Heineken encouraged U.S. workers to block their calendars with a Calendar Closer, with the first users rewarded with beer money, per the release.

Marketing Dive also reported that Heineken planned 1,000 workshops in more than 80 countries in 2022 and beyond as part of its employee-welfare efforts. The campaign's Eurobest entry states that the device was distributed in 48 countries.

What can PR teams learn from The Closer?

PR teams can take five lessons from The Closer. These are my reading of the campaign, not claims from Heineken.

  1. Make the idea a physical object. A bottle opener is easy to photograph, describe and share, which gave reporters something concrete to cover.
  2. Use satire to say something true. The device was a joke about a real problem, so coverage could discuss work-life balance and not only the brand.
  3. Borrow a familiar format. The tech-keynote launch signaled humor and gave media a recognizable hook.
  4. Create scarcity. A short entry window and a limited run gave people a reason to act at once.
  5. Give the idea a second life. The Calendar Closer let people take part without owning the device.

The sources I checked do not publish sales or reach results for the campaign, so I make no claim about its business impact.

What should a brand do before copying this approach?

A brand should test three things before copying The Closer: whether it can name a real problem its customers share, whether a physical object can carry the message in one photograph, and whether it can deliver a limited run of the product. Write the idea in one sentence, pitch it to two trusted reporters for reaction, and build the launch event only after that feedback.

Where does The Closer fit in beverage PR?

The Closer is an example of brand-purpose storytelling in drinks, where a product tie-in carries a message about how people spend time. For the wider practice, see beer and beverage public relations, 5W's food and beverage PR practice, and the earned media guide. For a case where a campaign needs a crisis plan, see the Crisis Communications Library.

FAQ

What is Heineken's The Closer?

The Closer is a Bluetooth-enabled bottle opener from Heineken that puts nearby laptops to sleep when it opens a Heineken bottle. It was part of a 2022 campaign about work-life balance.

Who created the Heineken Closer campaign?

Publicis Worldwide was the lead agency, with Publicis Italy credited on the creative work. Actor Billy Eichner hosted the launch event.

Could consumers buy The Closer?

Not directly. Workers in the United States could enter a drawing on June 8, 2022, and the sources I checked describe a limited giveaway, not retail sales.

Originally published June 2022. Rewritten October 2026. Sources: Heineken's June 1, 2022 release, The Drum (June 1, 2022), Marketing Dive and the campaign's Eurobest entry.