The Multi-Award Success of Heineken’s Pub Museums: Full List and Highlights

Heineken’s Pub Museums turned out to be a major hit, earning recognition at some of the most prestigious awards in the advertising industry. Discover the story behind the campaign’s success and what made it resonate with both juries and audiences alike.

As the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity approaches on June 16, the creative world is preparing for another celebration of bold, innovative ideas and revolutionary brand storytelling.

It’s also the perfect opportunity to take a step back and consider what makes a really good campaign? One that doesn’t just drive numbers, but creates real impact on the viewers?

In our experience, it’s all about social cause, relatability, and innovative execution. That’s how, together with LePub, Publicis, and Thinkhouse, we created a groundbreaking campaign for Heineken, turning everyday pubs into a digital museum to preserve culture and heritage.

The Pub Museums campaign turned out to be a huge success, getting recognition across some of the biggest Advertising Festivals in the world.

Preserving Pub Culture

Over the past decade, more than 10,000 Irish pubs have closed due to rising costs, shifting social habits, and inflation. This was a loss not only for businesses, but pieces of cultural heritage. To help preserve them, Heineken teamed up with LePub, Publicis Dublin, Thinkhouse, and our AR studio to turn iconic pubs into virtual museums using Augmented Reality.

We helped turn pubs like Toners in Dublin, Mother Macs in Limerick, and Sean’s Bar in Athlone into immersive digital experiences. Visitors could scan QR codes outside each venue to unlock stories, objects, and local legends via AR overlays and audio guides.

We developed 3D reconstructions of key historical elements, mapped to real spaces using indoor navigation and geolocation technology.

The message? Visit the past to help preserve the future.

And it worked, sparking awareness and support to keep these pubs alive.

Award Highlights

The campaign was appreciated not only by local communities, who supported the newly created virtual museums, but also by the global advertising industry. Pub Museums earned widespread recognition, winning over 60 awards, including Cannes Lions, ICAD Awards, Clio Awards, and more.

Here’s the full breakdown:

Cannes Lions 2024

The Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity is the most prestigious global event in advertising, celebrating creativity across marketing, design, tech, and media. Held annually in France, it brings together the industry’s top talent to honor the most impactful and innovative work from around the world.

Gold:
🔹B2B Brand Experience
🔹Direct – Single-Market
🔹Outdoor – Single-Market
🔹Brand Experience – Tangible & Spatial Tech

Silver:
🔹PR – Use of Technology
🔹Audio & Radio – Single-Market
🔹Outdoor – Immersive Experiences
🔹Brand-Owned Experiences

The One Show 2025

Organized by The One Club for Creativity, The One Show is one of the world’s most respected awards shows, known for celebrating excellence in advertising, design, and digital marketing. Winning a Gold Pencil is considered one of the highest honors in the creative industry.

Gold:
🔹Best of Cultural Driver
🔹Experiential & Immersive
🔹In-Person Installations
🔹Content at the Speed of Culture

Silver:
🔹B2B Communications
🔹In-Person Events

Bronze:
🔹B2B Communications ×3

Merit:
🔹Responsive Environments
🔹Brand Installations
🔹Branded Entertainment for Good
🔹Custom Content
🔹Experiential (In-Person)
🔹B2B Communications ×2

Clio Awards 2025

The Clio Awards honor bold, inspiring work that pushes boundaries and moves the industry forward. With a legacy dating back to 1959, the Clios are a benchmark for creativity, judged by top experts from the global creative community.

Grand Clio:
🔹Experience/Activation

Gold:
🔹Digital/Mobile
🔹Ambient
🔹Interactive/Experiential
🔹Single Market Activation

Silver:
🔹Cause-Related Branded Content

Shortlist:
🔹Audio ×2
🔹Specific Target Audience

ADC Europe Awards 2024

The ADCE Awards, known as the “Champions League of creativity,” showcase Europe’s top nationally awarded work. By highlighting the best in categories like Film, Interactive, and Brand Experience, the festival sets a high standard for creative excellence across the continent.

Gold:
🔹Integrated & Innovation

Silver:
🔹Integrated & Innovation

ICAD Awards 2024

The ICAD Awards (Institute of Creative Advertising and Design) are Ireland’s most prestigious creative honors, celebrating outstanding work across advertising, design, and production. The ICAD Bell is a symbol of excellence in the Irish creative industry.

Gold:
🔹Creative Innovation
🔹Creative for Change Advertising

Bronze:
🔹Experiential Advertising – Single
🔹Creative Use of Tech

Ad Age Creativity Awards 2025

The Ad Age Creativity Awards recognize the best campaigns, agencies, and innovators shaping the marketing world today. This award highlights creativity that drives results and captures cultural relevance.

Winner:
🔹Best B2B Campaign of the Year

Shark Awards 2024

Based in Ireland, the Shark Awards (also known as the Kinsale Sharks) are an internationally respected creative competition recognizing excellence in advertising, design, music videos, and short films.

Gold:
🔹AR / VR / Experiential

Immortal Awards 2024

The Immortal Awards, run by Little Black Book, are free to enter and judged by top creatives globally. Only the very best work is recognized, with no tiers, just immortal status or nothing at all.

Winner:
🔹Immortal Commendation

The Drum Awards Festival 2024

The Drum Awards Festival showcases the most creative and effective marketing work across the globe. With categories spanning every discipline, the awards celebrate results-driven ideas with strong creative foundations.

Gold:
🔹Experiential: Responsible Activation
🔹Social Purpose: B2B For Good

London International Awards 2024 (LIA)

The London International Awards (LIA) celebrate excellence in creativity and innovation across multiple industries. Judged by top creatives, LIA is known for its commitment to evolving with the industry.

Gold:
🔹Ambient & Activation
🔹B2B Communication
🔹Corporate Purpose/Social Responsibility
🔹Digital Transformation

Silver:
🔹Direct Marketing – Consumer
🔹Transformative Business Impact
🔹Creativity in B2B ×2

Bronze:
🔹Ambient & Activation

Mad Stars 2024

The Mad Stars Awards (formerly AD STARS) is a global advertising festival based in South Korea that combines creativity with a social mission. It honors work that not only excels creatively but also contributes to making the world better.

Grand Prix:
🔹PR Stars

Gold:
🔹Outdoor Stars
🔹Radio & Audio Stars
🔹Brand Experience & Activation Stars

Silver:
🔹Outdoor Stars

D&AD Awards 2025

The D&AD Awards are among the most respected in the creative world. Known for their rigorous judging process, the iconic D&AD Pencils represent the highest standards of excellence in design, advertising, and craft.

Graphite Pencil:
🔹Experiential: Activation & Participation
🔹Entertainment/Experiential

Wood Pencil:
🔹Direct: Events

The Legacy of Pub Museums

By combining augmented reality with cultural storytelling, the Pub Museums campaign helped preserve the legacy of historic Irish pubs while addressing the growing threat of closures. This innovative blend of technology and heritage gave the venues renewed visibility and relevance, attracting both foot traffic and media attention.

Widely appreciated across the creative industry, the campaign earned over 60 awards and shortlists at major festivals including Cannes Lions, Clio, and D&AD. It stands as a compelling example of how purpose-driven creativity, when paired with the right tools, can deliver lasting value for both brands and the communities they support.