- Greater than 9 billion voice notes are actually despatched every single day, which means they’ve turn out to be a brand new international image of digital distraction
- They’re getting longer, extra one sided, and killing the artwork of dialog – some 76% of individuals globally says voice notes are usually self-involved and over half even really feel that they’re changing IRL connections
- In a brand new tech pilot, Heineken® has created a WhatsApp bot in a bid to remodel lengthy voice observe monologues into real-life chats
- App customers who obtain voice notes lasting three minutes or longer can trade them for a free beer – and it comes with a advice of native bars to strive too
AMSTERDAM, Dec. 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — We’ve all been despatched voice notes that – as an alternative of providing a fast replace – flip into miniature podcasts lasting what looks like perpetually.
Within the more and more digital world we stay in, voice notes are turning into yet one more distraction that encourages us to bury our heads in our smartphones quite than making actual life connections. Now Heineken®, the champion of IRL socialising, has launched new WhatsApp expertise that provides an ingenious incentive to those that’d favor to fulfill up and join face-to-face, bringing again the artwork of in particular person dialog.
The expertise has been launched as a pilot in Brazil, the place official information from META exhibits that Brazilians ship 4 instances as many voice notes than folks in every other nation.
The tech was devised after international analysis polling 14,000 respondents confirmed that in only one 12 months, the typical particular person spends virtually 150 hours a 12 months sending and receiving voice notes.
Not solely are folks spending a major period of time listening to voice notes, however they’re impacting real-life social interactions too. Over half (52%) of these polled really feel voice notes are changing IRL interactions, rising to 60% amongst Gen Z. Almost half (49%), in the meantime, admit to spending whole evenings sending voice notes to a pal as an alternative of assembly in-person, regardless that 54% say they’ve their most fulfilling conversations face-to-face.
World information and enterprise intelligence platform Statista reported, in groundbreaking new information, that 9.4 billion WhatsApp voice notes are actually despatched every single day (equal to about 3.4 trillion over the complete 12 months). When in comparison with 2024, their frequency has elevated by 7%, and in size by 8%.
Stacy Jo Dixon, Social Media and Society Skilled at Statista, stated: “Our information means that voice notes usually are not simply rising in frequency but in addition size. With practically 9.5 billion voice notes despatched day by day on WhatsApp alone (in comparison with 7 billion in 2022), it’s evident that voice messaging is reshaping the best way we talk throughout the globe and taking up a extra outstanding function alongside conventional in-person interactions.”
Whereas many use voice notes as a ‘catch up shortcut’, individuals are barely engaged with them. Over half (55%) admit they usually neglect to take heed to them, and even after they do hear, consideration is low: 88% neglect what was really stated within the message.
Nabil Nasser, World Head of HeinekenⓇ, stated: “Similar to everyone knows conferences that ‘might have been an e mail’, we’re now seeing voice notes that ‘Might have been a Heineken’.
“Voice notes can really feel extra private than studying a message, however what our analysis exhibits is that we want to verify they don’t flip into mini-podcasts, and that we’re having two-way conversations quite than an prolonged monologue.
“At Heineken, we wish to make it simpler for folks to share moments of socialisation in actual life. That’s why we’ve got launched the ‘Might have been a Heineken’ WhatsApp bot, incentivising folks to swap lengthy voice notes for a refreshing in-person catch up over a beer after all.”
The ‘Might have been a Heineken’ WhatsApp expertise is presently being examined in Brazil, with additional international markets set to comply with.
To redeem the supply, WhatsApp customers over 18 should ahead a voice observe that they’ve acquired, which is longer than three minutes, to a non-public, encrypted bot. The person will then obtain a message saying it ‘Might have been a Heineken’, alongside a voucher for a free beer and a advice of native bars to fulfill up with the pal in actual life.
Notes to editors
Media contact:
HeinekenBrazil@wearetheromans.com
Analysis Credit:
*Heineken commissioned a survey of 14,000 respondents throughout the UK, USA, Germany, India, Brazil, United Arab Emirates and Romania. Analysis carried out by OnePoll, November 2025.
*Individually, Heineken commissioned Statista to provide the worldwide information on voice observe utilization in 2024 and 2025
About Heineken®
HEINEKEN® is the world’s most worldwide brewer. It’s the main developer and marketer of premium beer and cider manufacturers. Led by the Heineken® model, the Group has a portfolio of greater than 300 worldwide, regional, native and specialty beers and ciders. We’re dedicated to innovation, long-term model funding, disciplined gross sales execution and centered value administration. By way of “Brewing a Higher World”, sustainability is embedded within the enterprise. HEINEKEN® has a well-balanced geographic footprint with management positions in each developed and creating markets. We make use of over 85,000 workers and function breweries, malteries, cider crops and different manufacturing amenities in additional than 70 international locations. Heineken® N.V. and Heineken® Holding N.V. shares commerce on the Euronext in Amsterdam. Costs for the extraordinary shares could also be accessed on Bloomberg beneath the symbols HEIA NA and HEIO NA and on Reuters beneath HEIN.AS and HEIO.AS. HEINEKEN® has two sponsored stage 1 American Depositary Receipt (ADR) programmes: Heineken® N.V. (OTCQX: HEINY) and Heineken® Holding N.V. (OTCQX: HKHHY)
A photograph accompanying this announcement is offered at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/bd460a71-4e67-44c6-8b0c-cb1696242367
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