Through the Pub Museums, Heineken gave people an interactive and immersive virtual museum experience in historical Irish pubs. The audio guides and curated museum pieces encouraged customers to visit some of the oldest pubs in the world which are at risk from closing down because of increased running costs, higher taxes and inflation. People started their experience by scanning a QR code at the pub entrance to activate the guide. Once inside, customers were free to interact with historical items and enjoy the accompanying augmented reality experience.

The Irish pub is a cultural institution, famous the world over. These historical buildings have been serving their communities for centuries. Sadly now, some of the oldest pubs in the world found in Ireland are closing. Running costs, higher taxes and inflation mean that a quarter of Irish pubs have shut, an average of 150 each year.

Heineken's brand mission is to help people enjoy a richer social life. The closure of many historical Irish pubs in Ireland represented a barrier to people enjoying social life in these rich and historical places.

At the same time, The Irish Heritage Council offers protected status, tax support and other financial benefits to places of historical significance that are open to the public, such as museums. So, Heineken turned historic Irish pubs into virtual museums, enabling their rich past to protect their future.

The oldest pubs in the world are closing. Running costs, higher taxes and inflation mean that a quarter of pubs in Ireland have shut, an average of 150 each year.

Heineken's brand mission is to help people enjoy a richer social life. The closure of many historical Irish pubs in Ireland represented a barrier to people enjoying social life in these rich and historical places. So the brand aimed to safeguard these famous cultural institutions for the future.

Pub Museums gave pubs a tangible way to protect themselves from closure in challenging economic times. Including:

20% tax cut on building maintenance.

Economic evaluation of their cultural heritage collection

Protection from being bought out

Added to tourism guides

The launch of the museums also led to

134h+

OF AUDIO GUIDES HEARD

200k+

IN FUNDING

PENDING

+30%

FOOTFALL

IN PUBS

Irish pubs have also made a submission to the Irish Department of Culture to be protected by UNESCO.

The Irish pub is a cultural institution, famous the world over. These historical buildings have been serving their communities for centuries.

The Irish Heritage Council offers protected status, tax support and other financial benefits to places of historical significance that are open to the public, such as museums. So, Heineken turned historic Irish pubs into virtual museums, enabling their rich past to protect their future.

Pub Museums tackled a problem facing one of Ireland's national icons. Each virtual museum experience was carefully curated to reflect the pub's local history and crafted to provide authenticity in the audio guides and AR experience.