Amstel Highlights What Real Friendships Are In “Shot Without Permission” Campaign
Friendship and authenticity have always been at the heart of the brand, where, back in 1870, two friends turned founders set out to brew a beer worthy of their friendship…
Amstel, Heineken’s second-largest brand launched a photographic project, catching people’s unguarded moments at neighborhood bars. And it is altogether fitting that Amstel thought of such a campaign, as it’s a brand founded by two friends who believed that life’s most memorable moments are where you can be your real self, surrounded by people you know best.
Shot Without Permission, is all about moments that happen when we aren’t posing or thinking about being observed- just being with those we love. Amstel chose not to bring in actors or a script to capture staged friendships. They instead opted for real people, real bars, and no direction. “Just the kind of spontaneous, natural connection that exists when you are with your golden circle of friends,” explains announcement notes.
A study commissioned by Amstel finds that friends are the people we feel most ourselves around - more than even romantic partners, with 68% seeing friendships as key enablers of being their true, authentic selves.
Amstel chose Spanish photographer Javier Tles, whose work has been tied to Gatorade, Amazon, Coca Cola, and other renowned brands. Tles moved through bars discreetly and capture people laughing and talking over an Amstel beverage. “We treated this as documentary photography, not advertising,” explains Tles in notes. “Nothing was directed or staged. By stepping back and letting moments unfold, we were able to capture something far more honest - interactions and feelings as they exist in real life, not as they are usually presented.”
After shots were taken, the Amstel team approached those who were photographed, and asked for permission to use the images. For others who recognized themselves in shots on outdoor and social channels, can claim a year’s supply of Amstel by emailing: compensation@amstel.com.
“From the very beginning, Amstel has been about bringing people together in genuine moments of connection, embracing the golden circle of friends that make you feel completely comfortable,” said Vanessa Brandao, Global Brand Director for Amstel at HEINEKEN. “When just being yourself is enough. Today, so much of life feels curated and staged, and we wanted to focus on the moments where there is no pressure to perform. Those are the moments that matter most in life, where we feel truly appreciated for being who we are, and those are the moments this initiative celebrates.”
For Amstel, the campaign is a sort of push back against a burgeoning synthetic world. It’s an answer to the human connection that we all need in the wider performance culture that we all live in.
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