Heineken, in collaboration with global Korean actor Park Hyung Sik, has launched its latest campaign aimed at encouraging employees to work responsibly and not ghost their friends. The campaign, entitled “The Ghosted Bar,” highlights the issue of overworking culture in Singapore and Malaysia, where people feel guilty about leaving work on time, leading to a breakdown in friendships.
The Ghosting Phenomenon in Singapore and Malaysia
According to a recent Heineken-commissioned YouGov poll, job responsibilities are one of the main causes of people “ghosting” their pals in Singapore and Malaysia. According to the poll, 46.5% of workers in Singapore and Malaysia have “ghosted” friends out of responsibility to their jobs, and 42.5% said that their relationships with friends and partners had suffered as a result.
The Ghosted Bar Campaign
To draw attention to this issue, Heineken has created “The Ghosted Bar” campaign, where a friend stuck in the office is portrayed as a ghost at the bar, leaving friends hanging out with their “ghost” instead. The campaign has been launched in Singapore and Malaysia, and influencers from both countries have amplified the content of Park Hyung Sik by sharing it on their social media profiles.
According to Bram Westenbrink, Global Head Heineken Brand, “Ghosted Bar is an amazing new chapter dedicated to the #WorkResponsibly platform that is raising awareness of the sensitive work-life balance issue around the world. We’re thrilled to bring this platform to Singapore and Malaysia as a reminder to leave your duties on time and not let your social life fall behind.”
Encouraging a Refreshed Mindset
Through this campaign, Heineken aims to encourage a refreshed mindset towards the culture of overworking in Singapore and Malaysia. Park Hyung Sik said, “Through this meaningful project by Heineken, we want to encourage employees to start working responsibly. We should enjoy our social life and not let it be impacted by our work.”
The Ghosted Bar is the third #WorkResponsibly campaign launched by Heineken, following The Closer (June 2022) and The Office Cleaners (December 2022).
Work Culture in Singapore and Malaysia
One reason for overworking that is unique to the APAC region is a prevalent workplace culture of presenteeism. Employees feel obligated to stay back until their managers leave, leading to a breakdown in their social lives. Employees also find it difficult to reject extra work given to them by their seniors or managers, fearing it will affect their promotions.
“When you don’t leave work on time for fear of letting down your coworkers or because of societal pressures, you let someone else down: your friends. Heineken’s Ghosted Bar campaign reminds us to leave the office after an honest day at work to live your social life at its fullest. This is what #WorkResponsibly is all about. By collaborating with global Korean actor Park Hyung Sik, the brand is encouraging people to clock off work on time, prioritize and acknowledge self-care, and rebuild work culture from a well-being perspective,” says Bruno Bertelli, Global CEO of Le Pub, Global CCO of Publicis Worldwide, CCO of Publicis Groupe Italy.
The Ghosted Bar Experience
On April 19, Heineken Singapore will host a “ghosted bar” experience where staff members can go out with friends and be reminded to finish work on time and put their social lives first. In Malaysia, 40 eerie “ghost bar” encounters will occur all over the nation.
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