Heineken and Amazon have launched Pubscription, a new streaming-style pub finder on Fire TV designed to help friends discover venues and plan nights out more easily.
The platform, available on Fire TV to those aged 18 and over, takes inspiration from the simplicity and personalisation of streaming services. Rather than simply listing nearby venues, it applies the same approach used for deciding what to watch to choosing where to go out, while also offering vouchers to use at participating venues.
Research highlights socialising challenges
The launch follows a poll of 2,000 adults which found that 44% of people struggle to meet up with friends due to the challenge of aligning busy diaries. A further 30% said they struggle to organise get-togethers because their friendship groups cannot agree on an activity.
Nearly half (45%) admitted they would socialise more often if making plans were easier, while 28% said they make spontaneous plans less frequently than they did five years ago.
Tailored recommendations encourage going out
The survey, carried out by OnePoll, found that 46% of respondents would be more likely to try somewhere new if they received recommendations tailored to their interests and mood. Some 38% said they would go out more often if discovering where to go was as easy as discovering something to watch.
One in three (34%) added that knowing exactly where to go and what to do would make them more likely to say yes to a spontaneous social plan, while 27% said they would rather somebody else organised the finer details of their social plans.
Value of in-person connection
Once plans are made, spending time together clearly matters, with 34% saying making memories with friends and family is what they value most about going out and socialising. For 53%, having real-life conversations is one of the main reasons they enjoy spending time together in person.
Nabil Nasser, global head of Heineken, said: “We believe life is better when it’s shared. But as our lives become increasingly digital, creating those moments of real-world connection has never felt more important. Pubscription uses the simplicity we’ve come to expect from streaming to do something very human: help friends get together, discover a great pub and spend time with each other.”
He added: “Technology can give us endless ways to be entertained, but nothing replaces the simple pleasure of getting together.”
