Heineken has launched a worldwide recruitment campaign via creative agencies LePub and Publicis Dublin, to help independent Irish pub owner, Josie McLoughlin, find a new successor.
Joseph ‘Josie’ McLoughlin owns McLoughlin’s Bar on the rural Achill Island. Situated at the world’s edge, the pub rests against the backdrop of the wild, beautiful landscape of West Ireland.
A fourth-generation McLoughlin, Josie was born upstairs in the pub, and when his parents passed, he took the reins and has been behind the bar for the past 43 years.
Like many families in Ireland, Josie’s kin now live all over the world and he has no one to pass the pub on to. So now, at retirement age, he is looking for a namesake to take over the running of the pub and keep the family name above the door.
Josie, whose family has run McLoughlin’s for 155 years, explained, “I have no one to leave the pub to, and I’d resigned myself to looking for a buyer outside the family and seeing my name being lost to history. That would just break my heart. The name McLoughlin is woven into the
very fabric of this pub. The past 50 years have been incredibly fulfilling for me and I’d love to see that story continue, finding a McLoughlin descendant to take it forward. If I could guarantee the McLoughlin name would still be above the door of the pub in another 155 years, I’d die a happy man.”
Heineken has stepped in to help Josie and his partner Jackie launch a worldwide search for a new custodian who’ll keep the McLoughlin tradition – and the heart of the pub – alive.
It is using its global reach to launch a recruitment campaign, with towering billboards and eye-catching ads being erected in cities worldwide where large numbers of Irish people have emigrated, including New York, Boston, Sydney, Auckland, Buenos Aires and Phan Thiết (Vietnam).
A widespread digital and PR campaign supported by a trio of PR agencies – The Romans (global), Thinkhouse (Ireland) and M Booth (USA) – will leave no stone unturned in the search for a suitable McLoughlin.
Heineken will also be offering a succession package to “the new McLoughlin” to help them get their feet behind the bar, including mentorship, business support and initial investment guidance to ensure the pub remains a thriving part of the community.
Heineken wants to ensure that pubs remain at the heart of social life in Ireland and beyond. The campaign is part of a wider pub support campaign ‘For the Love of Pubs’ which includes a suite of programmes dedicated to supporting and celebrating the pub trade.
Mark Noble, marketing manager at Heineken Ireland said, “When we heard Josie’s story, we just knew we had to do something to help. Pubs in Ireland are more than just places to enjoy a drink; they are living pieces of history, places of laughter, song, and kinship. With many of these institutions facing uncertain futures, we want to rally the Irish diaspora, inspiring a new generation of pub owners to take on not just a business, but a cultural legacy. For those who have longed to reconnect with their Irish heritage, this is more than an investment; it’s a
homecoming: the chance to own a piece of Ireland, to pour a pint for old friends and new, and to keep the spirit of the pub alive for generations to come.”
Bruno Bertelli, global CEO LePub and CCO LePub Worldwide, commented: “This is an ambitious initiative as it combines creative and strategic wittiness to help secure the future of Ireland’s iconic pubs in fresh and unexpected ways. By leveraging Heineken’s global presence
and reach, we are not only reconnecting Irish descendants with their roots but also ensuring that these cherished spaces continue to thrive as community landmarks. Through a thoughtful balance of tradition and forward-thinking solutions, we are reshaping the brand’s role in
preserving cultural legacy, creating meaningful opportunities that harness the power of both heritage and innovation”.
With the Pub Succession initiative, Heineken and LePub’s mission isn’t just about saving Josie McLoughlin’s Bar—it’s about keeping Ireland’s spirit on tap. It’s a monumental challenge and an even greater responsibility, leveraging on a deeply culturally relevant campaign: finding a successor who shares the name McLoughlin.
To do that, a global search that spans from Boston to Buenos Aires has been conducted to start a bold recruitment campaign, lighting up everything from Times Square to the pages of The New York Times. This isn’t just a campaign; it’s a tribute to Ireland’s heritage and a call to those who are ready to uphold the legacy.
Heineken Pub Succession – Credits
HEINEKEN GLOBAL
Head of Global Heineken and Premium Brands: Nabil Nasser
Heineken Global Brand Strategy and Communication Director: Daniela Iebba
Heineken Brand Global PR Lead: Jonathan O’Lone
Heineken Global Communication Manager: Guilherme De Marchi Retz
Heineken Global Communication Manager: Nalini Bhagwandin
Heineken Global Communication Manager: Alexander Drake
Heineken Global Communication Manager: Alessandra Cavarra
Heineken Global Digital Manager: Bob van Iersel
HEINEKEN IRELAND
Heineken Ireland Marketing Director: Fiona Curtin
Heineken Ireland Marketing Manager: Mark Noble
Heineken Ireland Senior Brand Manager: Rachael Crawley
Heineken Ireland Brand Manager: Colin Doyle
LEPUB MILAN
Global CEO LePub, CCO LePub Worldwide: Bruno Bertelli
Global Chief Creative Officer: Cristiana Boccassini
Co-Chief Creative Officer: Mihnea Gheorghiu
Executive Creative Director: Eoin Sherry
Executive Creative Director: Gaston Soto
Associate Creative Director: Julien Lefevre
Associate Creative Director: David Campese
Head of Art: Andrea Ferlauto
Senior Designer: Fabio Iacomino
Art Director: Manuela Ghein Lombardi
Copywriter: Natasha Anatra
Global Head of PR & Communication: Isabella Cecconi
Senior PR Manager: Luca Orioli
Head of Strategy: James Moore
Global Client Service Director: Shirine Aoun
Client Service Director: Ilaria Castiglioni
Global Account Director: Gonzalo Gutierrez
Account Manager: Francesca Gatti
Executive Producer: Courtney Trent
Head of Digital Production: Vittorio Cafiero
Digital Producer and Project Manager: Kejsi Haxhi
PUBLICIS DUBLIN
Board Creative Director: Ger Roe
Creative Director: Peter Dobbyn
Group Account Director: Ruth McCormack
Strategy Director: Adriano Eliezer
Account Director: Gemma Sherlock
Senior Agency Producer: Rachel Murray
Technical Lead: Cian McIntyre
IRELAND PR & ADVOCACY – THINKHOUSE
Founder and Head of Creative Innovation: Jane McDaid
Group Director, PR & Advocacy: Laura Wall
Senior Account Manager, PR & Advocacy: Lucy Carroll
GLOBAL PR & COORDINATION – THE ROMANS
Managing Director: Kate Brazier
Creative Director: Dan Roberts
Associate Director: Liam O’Brien
Senior Account Director: Sophie Lambert-Russell
Account Director: Normandie Tottman
Account Executives: Rebecca Kapoor, Abbie Goodman
US PR – M BOOTH
Senior Vice President, Client Lead: Sally Alfis
Vice President: Alex Williams
Account Supervisor: Theo Luterman
MEDIA AGENCY- DENTSU Red Star Ireland
Chief Operations Officer: Ian Mc Grath
Senior Account Manager: Aoife Higgins
MEDIA AGENCY – DENTSU Red Star U.S.
Client Lead: Corina Li
OOH Lead: Maisie Wong
Print Lead: Kathleen Brogan
MEDIA AGENCY – Dentsu IPROSPECT Australia
Client Director: Luke Amasi
Head of Client Partnerships: Jason Smith
Managing Director: Marcelle Hoyek
PRODUCTION
Director: Dermot Malone
Production Company: Banjoman
Head of Production: Matt D’Arcy
Producer: Keith Bradley
DOP: Luke Jacobs
POST-PRODUCTION
Editor: Rob Hergarty
Post Producer: Dafydd Upsdell
Colour Grading: Gabha
Colourist: Andrew Francis
Sound design & Mix: Folding Waves
MUSIC
Track 1
The Lights of Londonderry Loren Marie Premium Beat
Track 2
Track Name: ROVER’S REVENGE
Composer: Mark Revell
Label: AB-CD
Music Publisher: Cavendish Music
