Irish pubs are cultural institutions famous all over the world. This made the fact that many of the world's oldest pubs found in Ireland are having to close their doors because of economic conditions a relevant topic, not only of national interest but international interest.

By turning historical Irish pubs into museums so they can benefit from the same protected status, tax support and other financial benefits that museums do, Heineken created an interesting and innovative solution to this problem. Generating interest amongst the public as well as local and international media.

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 was an original concept created by our agencies.

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 brand also created an online tutorial, teaching pub owners all over Ireland and the world how they could also become museums so that they would also be protected.

The initiative aimed to encourage the community, as well as Irish news media to visit their local pubs and experience the virtual museum tour for themselves. Not only helping to grow support for individual pubs but also drawing attention to the bigger issue of endangered Irish pubs in the process.

Pub Museums innovative solution to this problem generated interest amongst the public, other pub owners as well as local and international media.

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.

The key message of the campaign being ‘Visit the past to help preserve the future’

The initiative targeted the local community, as well as Irish news media. Helping to grow support for individual pubs but also drawing attention to the bigger issue of endangered pubs in the process.

The initiative also targeted other pubs around the world so they would be made aware of how they could help to protect their own pubs as well.

The initial virtual Pub Museums experience was launched in selected pubs across Ireland, along with beer mats and entry plaques to help guide people, a press release, launch video and tutorial for pub owners.

The initiative kicked off with a launch event at one of Dublin’s oldest pubs: Toners, where special guests and the media could try out the virtual tour for themselves. This was followed by a press release as well as a launch video telling the media about the initiative. The Pub Museum experience was then rolled out at several pubs across Ireland, including Sean's Bar in Athlone and Mother Macs in Limerick.

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.