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NEW YORK, USA\u00a0\u2014 Heineken this week launches\u00a0Fans Have More Friends<\/strong>, a new global sponsorship platform built on the belief that fandom is one of the quickest ways to spark a connection between strangers.<\/p>\n Rooted in Heineken\u2019s long-standing belief in the importance of sociability, and inspired by the book of the same name (Fans Have More Friends) by Ben Valenta and David Sikorjak, the platform reflects how shared passions help people connect naturally. It\u2019s the first time Heineken is bringing together its sponsorships across football, Formula 1 and music festivals, using fandom as both a social catalyst and a way to elevate social experiences in a world that can feel increasingly lonely.\u00a0<\/p>\n New research commissioned by Heineken shows that three-quarters (75%) of fans say their fandom has helped them meet new people, making it one of the fastest ways to create bonds at a time when many people are missing IRL connections more than ever before.\u00a0<\/p>\n Three in five (59%) say it\u2019s helped them forge some of their closest friendships and 75% say watching sports with other fans, even if they\u2019re not fans of the same team, makes the experience better. Football topped the list as one of the greatest social connectors, with 72% of fans saying language is not a barrier when it comes to making football mates in a bar.<\/p>\n To put the findings to the test, Heineken partnered with Zac Alsop to carry out a social experiment designed to test whether fans would really show up for one another when it mattered. The experiment followed Joe, an Australian living in New York, who found himself without anyone to watch Liverpool play Qaraba\u011f FK in the final group match of the UEFA Champions League. Like many people, despite having a life and routine in a big city, he was facing the prospect of watching one of football\u2019s biggest nights alone.\u00a0<\/p>\n To help his friend and prove that fandom is a great way to connect, Zac handed out flyers across Manhattan with Joe\u2019s face and a simple request \u2014\u00a0Have A Beer With Me\u00a0\u2014 inviting fellow fans to join him to watch the match on January 28th. No incentives, just an open invitation to the football community.<\/p>\n Fans from across New York responded in droves, with hundreds turning up to support a fellow fan they had never met before, and the event quickly gained traction across social media. Unbeknownst to Joe, Heineken transformed Central Park Tavern \u2014 where the meet-up took place \u2014 into a Champions League-level viewing experience, flying in the UEFA Champions League trophy alongside football legend Bastian Schweinsteiger, who was behind the bar serving beers for fans who made the effort to come.\u00a0<\/p>\n The experiment in New York kicks off a multi-channel platform launch by Heineken, which sees the\u00a0Fans Have More Friends\u00a0television ad debut this week in the USA, with a further 50 markets to follow.\u00a0<\/p>\n The campaign TVC, directed by multi-award-winning director Frederik Bond and produced by Stink Films, celebrates the spontaneous friendships that spark between fans every time a game, a match or a gig is on. Featuring Heineken\u2019s most renowned brand ambassadors, including Max Verstappen, Virgil van Dijk and DJ Martin Garrix, the film captures the essence of fans coming together, depicting famous faces, among others, bonding over a shared passion for sport and music.\u00a0<\/p>\n