Heineken transforms forgotten urban spaces into social hubs with LePub via ‘Rooftop Revival’

Heineken® has unveiled Rooftop Revival, a new campaign ideated by creative agency LePub, where forgotten urban spaces are transformed into hubs of social connection – challenging the trend of productivity-first city living and giving people a fresh space to socialise.

From above, cities look bustling and connected – but on the ground, urban isolation is real. From lifestyle shifts and work-life imbalance to the isolating pull of digital life and shrinking size of homes, citydwellers everywhere are finding it harder to meaningfully connect across the world: leading to a proximity paradox.

In fact, new research* has shown more than half (57%) of citydwellers in London, Seoul, Tokyo, New York, Paris and Sydney often feel lonely, and some 33% experience feelings of isolation weekly or more despite living in some of the world’s most densely populated areas – a figure that rises to a massive 47% for the Gen Z and Millennials surveyed.

A third of adults (35%) say that their city does not encourage social interactions – with New York (66%), Seoul (49%) and Paris (49%) ranking lowest. Moreover, one in three (30%) say they have only met someone new outside of work once or twice in the 6 months.

Seoul, with its fast-paced culture and soaring skyline, exemplifies the paradox.

53% of Seoulites say their city is designed for work and productivity rather than socialising and connecting, and 37% say there are too few social spaces.

But when viewed from above, Seoul has one of the highest proportions of flat rooftop space in world cities – many of which are painted green.

To help Seoulites bridge the gap between being physically close but feeling socially disconnected, Heineken® stepped in by elevating forgotten areas of the city with a series of rooftop events led by some of Korea’s most creative curators.

The location of each event was dropped from space via satellite imagery, highlighting where the naturally green canvas had been punctuated with a red star pinpointing an unused urban space ready for revival. Seoulites were challenged to track down these stars across the city, where they discovered rooftops transformed into lively new venues for conversation, shared experiences, and of course, a cold beer.

Over 8,000 people applied to attend the events and across three days, Seoulites connected at an intimate set from DINO, singer of K-Pop icon SEVENTEEN, a hands-on design workshop with contemporary artist Cha Inchul; and an interactive food tasting with celebrated chef Cho SeoHyeoung.

Inspired by the cultural Korean icon Peyong-Sang, a wooden platform used for outdoor socializing was at the heart of each event. Heineken blended this traditional symbol with a modern red-starred parasol with built-in space for an icebox and Bluetooth speakers, creating a fresh way to think about community and connection.

Renowned photographer Tom Hegen, known for capturing human impact on landscapes from the air, partnered with Heineken® to document the process – turning the social spaces into a work of art that showcases Heineken’s refreshing view on socialisation. The photography will be displayed as DOOH across Seoul in the coming weeks.

Hegen said: “Living in Munich, I know what it’s like to be in a bustling city – despite being surrounded by people, it can often feel lonely. These events from Heineken® are proof that solutions to loneliness don’t always require new infrastructure – just a new perspective to refresh social life. In a world where urban space is becoming increasingly scarce, it’s essential to activate what already exists but has long remained inaccessible. There’s an art in transforming overlooked spaces into places of gathering, where beauty emerges not only from the setting but from the connections formed between people.”

As the barriers to meaningful social interaction are growing, the majority (60%) of citydwellers worldwide believe that there are spaces in their city that could be revived or refreshed for better social experiences – rising to 70% in younger generations.

Korean architect Byoung Soo Cho – known for his integrated designs that foster human connection – says, “This ‘Proximity Paradox’ means city life is falling short of social connections. In an era where urban environments prioritise productivity over connection and living and socialising spaces are shrinking, there are many forgotten spaces that can become places of renewal. Each Heineken® experience in Seoul transformed a once-unused rooftop into a vibrant hub of creativity, showing how these spaces can revive social life. The more cities create accessible places of socials, the more empowered people feel to connect.”

Nabil Nasser, Global Head of Heineken® said: “We may not be able to redesign entire cities, but we can inspire people to rethink the spaces around them. By reviving overlooked rooftops into vibrant hubs, we’re creating places where people can connect, create, and celebrate together. Our red star against a green backdrop isn’t just an icon – it’s an invitation to the world, a symbol of togetherness and big enough to be seen from space. It’s a calling card for communities to come together, share experiences, and rediscover the joy of social connection over an ice cold beer. Even small changes in how we use space can have a big impact on how we connect in urban life.”

“Rooftop Revival is about reclaiming overlooked urban spaces to spark real connection. In a city that’s growing denser and more isolated, we’re transforming unused, green rooftops into vibrant hubs of creativity and sociability. This initiative proves that meaningful change doesn’t require new builds, just a fresh perspective to see the potential that’s already around us,” Bruno Bertelli, Global CEO LePub, CCO LePub Worldwide.

Credits
Campaign Name: Rooftop Revival Heineken Global
Head of Global Heineken® Brand: Nabil Nasser
Heineken® Global Communication Manager: Nalini Bhagwandin
Heineken® Global Business Support Specialist: Colleen Muller
Heineken® Global Head of Brand & Consumer PR: Jonathan O’Lone
Heineken® Brand Global PR Communications Lead: Joey Brophy
Heineken® Global Digital Development Manager: Pearly Lim
Heineken® Global Data Strategy Lead: Laura Sevilla German
Heineken® Global Digital Manager: Bob van Iersel
Heineken® Korea
Heineken® Marketing Manager: Lynda Kim
Heineken® Brand Manager: Chloe Choi
Heineken® Brand Manager: Kyunghyea Hyun
Heineken® Assistant Brand Manager: Ella Yeo
Heineken® Senior Media Manager: Caleb Woohyun Kim
LePub Milan and Singapore
Global CEO LePub, CCO LePub Worldwide: Bruno Bertelli
Global Chief Creative Officer: Cristiana Boccassini
Global Co Chief Creative Officer: Mihnea Gheorghiu
Regional Executive Creative Director: Stephan Schwarz
Creative Director: Andrade Bruno
Senior Art Director: Claudius Keng
Senior Copywriter: Ernest Kok
Art Director: Kin Lin Low
Creative Director, Code & Art, LeGarage: Sergey Mast
Senior Designer: Fabio Iacomino
Managing Director lePub Singapore: Penny Sadlier
Global Client Service Director: Shirine Aoun
Client Service Director: Ilaria Castiglioni
Client Service Director: Francesca Babet
Group Account Director: Natalia Bondareva
Account Director: Amira Ramadan
Account Manager: Candida Franchi
Account Manager: Chua Xin Ying
Head of Strategy: James Moore
Chief Strategy Officer: Jordan Price
Senior Planner: Teng Fong Wong
Global Data Strategy Director: Ilko Petkov
Trend Analyst: Hania Janasik
Senior Consumer Insights Analyst: Caris Dollard
Strategy Director: Jeff Fraser
Senior Project Manager: Farhan Wahab
Global Head of PR & Communication: Isabella Cecconi
Senior PR Manager: Eleonora Botta
Senior Digital PR Manager: Federica Fiorentino
Chief Production Officer: Francesca Zazzera
Head of Production: Federico Fornasari
Producer: Laura Ceriotti, Irene Tamagnone
Art Buyer: Caterina Collesano
Senior Producer: Anita Toh
Senior Post Producer: Camilla Colabona
Digital Producer Supervisor: Simona Caldarini
Digital Art Director: Ariberto Anastasi
Publicis Groupe Korea
Group Account Director: YoonJung Cha
Account Director: Alice Bo Hye Ro
Senior Manager: Tony Donggun Kim
Planning/Insight: Woongjae Bae
CAMPAIGN OOH AND KV
Aerial Photographer campaign: Tom Hegen
Director: Cimona
Editorial Photographer: Eddie Keng, PARK WOO JIN
Satellite images © 2025 Maxar Technologies
INTEGRATED PRODUCTION
Core.A
Executive Producer: Sarah Kim
Producer: Ashley Sunyoung
Production design: Alex Ryu
Drone team: Maruara
VIDEO POST PRODUCTION
Work Post
Editor: Fong
Animator: MATVOYCE
Prodigious Singapore
Offline & Online Editors: Germain Wu
Offline & Online Editors: Andy Teo
Motion Graphics & Editors: Jacen Chan
Motion Graphics: Fabian Chan
Post Producers: Danish Sadayan
Post Producers: Colleen Lim
Post Production Supervisor: Ralph Ooi
Neon Sound Pte Ltd
Audio Engineer and Sound Design: Edmund Wee
Producer: Terence Chan
The Romans (PR strategy and global coordination)
Managing Director: Kate Brazier
Associate Director: Liam O’Brien
Senior Account Director: Sophie Lambert-Russell
Senior Account Manager: Leigh Brian
Account Manager: Tom Philips
Senior Account Executive: Lucy Borner
Account Executive: Becka Kapoor
Dentsu Global
Global Account Director: Tiana Odavic-Shean
Global Account Director: Milo Meulenkamp
Strategy Director: Elio LaGrua
Amplify Client Lead: Fagan Hughes
Dentsu Korea
Planning Manager: Dayoung Lee
Senior Planning Director: Kyuhee Park
Allure
Digital Director: Yunjin Ha
Digital Editor: Sunmi Hwang
Digital Editor: Seoyeon Ahn
Digital Editor: Miri Ju
Digital Designer: Heeseung Won
Digital Designer: Myungeun Lee
PNC Partners (TruePR)
Team Director: Yeojeong Jeon
Project Director: Minjee Park
Account Executive: Minkyung Kim
Account Executive: Euna Kim