A new survey from Heineken has shown that 55% of Gen Z and Millennial smartphone users from the US, UK, and the Netherlands say they have prioritized filming videos of the show they are at rather than being present.
Heineken is introducing a new app, The Boring Mode, which is now available to download and will block app use, notifications, and camera use for a set time. As part of the app launch, including a field testing at ADE, Heineken revealed statistics from a survey they took. The survey was online, consisting of 5,000 Gen Z and Millenials who use smartphones and are of legal drinking age. With the help of market research company OnePoll, answers were collected from March 2024 to October 2024.
The survey showed that 55% of that demographic look to grab video first rather than be in the moment at their event. On top of that, 60% of the same Gen Z and Millennial group said they were aware that they would enjoy their concerts more if they just put their phone away. Nearly half, 41%, say that they find it annoying to see all the phones out in the crowd during a concert. But what is even more interesting is that the same survey showed that 13% revealed that rarely go back to look at the videos that they took from those shows.
There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this ongoing debate. However, the best advice is to not sacrifice the entire moment that’s right in front of you just for the sake of capturing it on the screen in your pocket. Find a happy medium between the two so you can enjoy the show in the moment, but also for years to come.
Download The Boring Mode app on both iOS and the Android.
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