Heineken® wants to dial up your social life with “The Boring Phone”

Sometimes, smartphones are a distraction from the things that really matter.

You meet up with your friends. It’s long overdue, but tonight is the night that works with everyone’s schedules. It’s good to see them. You sit down, and you start catching up.

Then someone pulls out their phone. And just like that, they’ve tapped out of the conversation.

It’s all too common – and we’ve probably all been the guilty party in this scenario at one point or another. In fact, 90% of people surveyed1 admitted to habitually scrolling on their phones during nights out. That survey was carried out but folks who know a bit about what makes a good night out – Heineken®.

Introducing The Boring Phone

“We could all do with a break from the constant distractions of smart tech,” says Nabil Nasser, Global Head of Heineken®. “We want to foster moments of genuine connection and help people experience the joy of true togetherness.”

To help get you and your friends off of your feed and into a conversation, Heineken® have teamed up with US store Bodega, curators of all things counterculture. Together, they bring you The Boring Phone. “We have gone back to basics,” Nabil explains. “We have dialed down the tech to help people truly connect over a beer, without any distraction from the constant buzzing and dings.”

The Boring Phone is a limited run of flip phones made by HMD. It doesn’t have internet for a start, so that temptation to scroll is out of the picture. But on top of that, it’s got some nice little features to encourage you to have a safe and social night out. Here’s how.

Feature #1: Offline “apps”

What apps can you expect to find on a feature phone that doesn’t connect to the internet? Well, in the case of Heineken® × Bodega and their Boring Phone, some pretty funny ones. Let’s start with its “1 bit email.” It’s a perpetually empty inbox that reminds you to have a good time when you open it. That’s it.

Along the same vein of digital detox messages disguised as online apps, the Boring Phone also features an “Optimistic Sportscheck.” It simply assures you that your favorite sports team are hopefully doing okay, and again, encourages you to get back to socializing. You might even be able to pull one over on your friends with this one: hand your phone to them, tell them to open the sports app to check the score, and watch as their faces go from confusion to understanding.

These are fun little quirks for a phone to have, but at the same time, they really drive home what the whole essence of the phone is about. Plus, they’re conversation starters in themselves. The final one, though just as cheeky in its delivery, has an even more important message. The “DIY Taxi Call” app guides you through the steps of getting home after a night out. First, you get the bartender’s attention and second, ask them to call you a taxi. It’s clever, it’s funny, and it’s so true.

Feature #2: A camera – with a catch

If it’s a good night out, it’s not long before someone gets their phone out and starts snapping away. Before you know it, you’re being pulled into selfies and herded into group shots. Is there something wrong with wanting a photo to remember the night by, I hear you ask? Of course not. But sometimes, the photo itself can too easily be made the focus of the moment, rather than trying to capture a genuine memento.

The Boring Phone has a solution.

It has a rear camera. It’s nothing fancy – nothing more powerful than that of early flip phones, in fact. This produces some truly nostalgic looking shots – no lo-fi filter needed for these. So, you’ll take a few snaps, enjoy reminiscing about “the good old days,” but here’s the catch – The Boring Phone won’t let you take more than 10 photos at a time. So, you won’t get to spend a chunk of time trying to capture the best, most shareable photo. You get 10 shots – literally. Take them for what they are and keep on enjoying the night. You’ll look back on them fondly the next morning – or perhaps, not so fondly…

Feature #3: Beautifully simple

Today’s smartphones have captivating, colorful interfaces. Compared to that, the simplicity of a monochrome menu and navigation may seem dull at first. But it’s not called “The Boring Phone” for no reason – it is precisely this lack of visual stimulation that serves as a another of the phone’s deterrent against over-the-top usage. Without the colorful icons and endless feeds vying for your attention, you’re free from the grasp of constant digital engagement. Instead, the basic layout of the monochrome interface encourages us to focus solely on essential functions like making calls and sending texts to let your mates know that you’re on your way.

Designed by Bodega and taking influence from “Newtro” design trends, the phone itself has a refreshingly minimalist look. Its flip form should be more than familiar to anyone who used phones before the smartphone era. It’s got a big keymat, backlit by the signature Heineken® shade of green. The translucent casing lets you glimpse a bit of what’s under the hood – a cool conversation starter.

How to get The Boring Phone from Heineken® and Bodega

Heineken® and Bodega unveiled The Boring Phone at Milan Design Week on Thursday 18th April with a party hosted by the collaborators. The good news is, they are being given away worldwide. The catch, however, is that there are only 5,000 units to go around. If you want to try and get your hands on one, head over to www.heineken.com/theboringphone to find out more.

A digital detox is within everyone’s reach

If you don’t end up being one of the lucky ones who get a Boring Phone, don’t worry. Those “apps” we talked about here will be available for download in June, so smartphone users will be able to benefit from the Boring Phone experience. After all, it’s not about dumping smartphones entirely – it’s about disconnecting when it matters so that you can reclaim quality time with friends, family and loved ones.

If you want to go that one step further and get yourself a dumbphone for nights out, a Nokia feature phone has you covered. There’s some security knowing your smartphone is safe at home, too. And if you’re the type to arrive first while the rest of your crowd are running late, don’t worry – you won’t be totally bored. They’ve got Snake.