“Want to grab a beer?” is a common invitation to socialize. A new ad from Heineken emphasizes that the fun had together at a bar can be more important than the actual drink.

Developed by creative agency LePub and coinciding with International Beer Day Aug. 2, the “Forgotten Beers” spot presents a series of vignettes where bottles or glasses of Heineken are set aside: forgotten at a pool or foosball table, left on a bar when the drinker goes to dance, set on a rail to smooch with a date or filled with confetti during a New Year’s celebration.

The soundtrack is Claude Debussy’s Claire de Lune, with the melancholy music contrasting with the lively conversations, laughter and cheering in the background. The scenes end with a man receiving a glass from a bartender, taking a sip and immediately abandoning his drink to greet friends.

The ad is part of Heineken’s push to encourage in-person connection, which has previously included a collaboration with streetwear retailer Bodega to release a low-tech phone during Milan Fashion Week.

The beer brand’s efforts are driven by insights from a 2023 study from Gallup and Meta on the global state of social connections, which found that 24% of the world’s population feels very or fairly lonely.

“On International Beer Day, we truly get to show what the Heineken brand stands for—good times together,” Heineken CEO Dolf van den Brink said in a statement. “Of course, we celebrate our beer, but what we’re most proud of is 150 years of bringing people together—something that will remain at our core for as long as we continue to produce beer.”

The ad is reminiscent of Coca-Cola’s “Spills” campaign in May, which zoomed in on spilled drinks as a way to celebrate sharing joy with loved ones. Along with Ikea’s Cannes-winning “Proudly Second Best” campaign, the ads are part of a trend of brands looking to make emotional connections with consumers by placing people over their own products.

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