ABOUT

Idea
There’s a saying in Irish: “Is treise an dúil ná an bás” (“desire is stronger than death”), and nowhere is it truer than in the community of Kilteely, where 26 locals decided to save their last pub with no experience whatsoever. By supporting them on their journey to becoming pub owners, Heineken realised that the only real barrier preventing other communities from doing the same was a lack of experience.
Heineken transformed their story into a blueprint, establishing community co-ownership as a replicable model to fight pub decline in rural Ireland. To inspire this change, Heineken created a documentary that toured other communities, alongside an educational platform providing tools and guidance to help others take ownership of their local pubs. The Pub That Refused to Die proved a powerful truth: it takes a village to save a pub, and it takes a pub to save a village.

Execution
The execution was designed to directly reach rural communities at risk of losing their last pub and give them a clear path to act.
At its core is the documentary The Pub That Refused to Die - premiered at Dublin International Film Festival - which tells the story of 26 locals in Kilteely who successfully took over their pub with Heineken’s help. The film is used as a travelling masterclass, with Heineken organizing projection events in small communities to bring the story directly to those facing the same challenge.
All touchpoints drive communities to the platform, where they can access practical tools: lessons from the 26 locals, an AI-powered helpline, the Ahhhcademy training programme, and direct support from Heineken’s nationwide network of reps.

Results
One community already bought their last pub. Two more are in the process.
1 million euro investment in bar training program.
232M Media impressions.