Heineken’s campaign reminds Msians not to FFK friends

In our hyperconnected world today, it’s easier than ever for bosses to contact their employees through their smart devices, and as such, there is pressure for employees to always be available, which adds to their working hours.

Even though this is a thing that happens around the world, it’s particularly prevalent in the Asia-Pacific region, where overworking is still very much looked at as a virtue… to the detriment of their social life. To give you guys an idea of how bad things really are…

41% of employees in Malaysia have ‘ghosted’ their friends for work

That’s right – according to YouGov, 41% of employees in Malaysia have FFK-ed their friends due to work obligations, and this lack of work-life balance has has impacted their life significantly. Many feel burned out at work and revealed that work has caused strains in their relationship with their friends and partners.

A reason for overworking that’s unique to not just Malaysia but the APAC region, is the workplace culture of presenteeism – the feeling of confusion and guilt over leaving on time despite finishing the day’s work or feeling obligated to stay back until their seniors leave. Many Malaysian employees (65%) also have a hard time saying ‘no’ when extra work is given to them, as some are afraid that it will affect their promotions.

With an eye toward promoting a healthier work-life balance among Malaysians…

Heineken wants you to #WorkResponsibly in their new campaign

The latest Work Responsibly campaign by Heineken hopes to help strike a balance in this hyperconnected world by shedding light on the overworking culture that is commonplace in Malaysia. Staying true to their enjoyment of life values, Heineken wants to remind employees to work responsibly and not let their social life down by ‘ghosting’ their friends.

As part the campaign, global K-Drama star, Park Hyung Sik went on Instagram live while at a bar and witnessed some unusual happenings — beer glasses moving on their own and chairs sliding across the room. The incident was filmed to highlight how a friend stuck in the office is a ghost at the bar — whenever a friend ‘ghosts’ because of work, their friends end up hanging out with their ‘ghost’ instead.

“Through this meaningful project by Heineken, we want to encourage employees to start working responsibly. We should enjoy our social life and not let it be impacted by our work,” – Global Korean Actor Park Hyung Sik.

In line with Heineken’s Work Responsibly campaign to remind Malaysians to clock out from work on time and socialise with friends…

Selected bars around Malaysia will be hosting ‘Ghosted Bar’ activities

Heineken will be having ‘Ghosted Bar’ activations on weekdays from 9th May to 31st May between 6pm and 10pm. There will be a total of 40 activations taking place at selected bars in Penang, Ipoh, the Klang Valley and Johor regions.

The online Ghost Generator here is also available for Malaysians to remind their friends to leave work on time and to not let their social life down through a personalized GIF. Fans of the brand can visit the same website to register for the ‘Ghosted Bar’ activations and/or to find out more details about the ‘Ghosted Bar’.