Heineken has released details of a worldwide campaign for its Amstel lager brand, designed to “oppose staged and performative portrayals of friendships used in conventional beer commercials”.
The activation, ‘Shot Without Permission’, is the result of a project overseen by Spanish photographer Javier Tles. Having taken photographs of consumers in the on-premise, Tles and Heineken informed the drinkers afterwards, in order to obtain their consent.
The ads, which will run across out-of-home and social media channels, also include an invitation to “individuals who recognise themselves … to come forward and claim a year’s supply of Amstel”.
“By removing control from the production process, ‘Shot Without Permission’ positions itself as a counterpoint to both traditional advertising and wider performance culture, reinforcing Amstel’s commitment to human connection in an increasingly synthetic world,” the brand owner said. “It is a modern expression of a long-held belief of this brand born in Amsterdam, a place of respect and freedom, where people are free to be themselves.”
Tles added: “We treated this as documentary photography, not advertising. By stepping back and letting moments unfold, we were able to capture … interactions and feelings as they exist in real life, not as they are usually presented.”
In results from the 12 months of 2025, announced in mid-February, Heineken posted an increase in sales of 1.6%. The group is preparing for the departure of its CEO, Dolf van den Brink, at the end of next month after six years in the post. A replacement has not been announced yet.
