Amstel's real life relationships

Amstel has launched a new campaign which captures unguarded moments between friends in neighbourhood bars.

Called Shot Without Permission, the campaign is a photographic project that captures unguarded moments between friends in neighbourhood bars, moments that only happen when nobody is thinking about being observed.

Created by INGO Amsterdam, the Shot Without Permission turns its back on the staged friendships seen in many advertising campaigns in favour of real people in real bars. There are no scripts, no actors and no direction, just spontaneous, natural connections that exists when you are with your circle of friends. The images were captured by photographer Javier Tles, who worked discreetly, moving through bars and capturing moments instinctively as they unfolded.

By removing control from the production process, Shot Without Permission positions itself as a counterpoint to traditional advertising and aims to reinforce Amstel’s commitment to human connection in an increasingly synthetic world. 

“From the very beginning, Amstel has been about bringing people together in genuine moments of connection, embracing the golden circle of friends that make you feel completely comfortable. When just being yourself is enough,” said Vanessa Brandao, Global Brand Director for Amstel at HEINEKEN. “Today, so much of life feels curated and staged, and we wanted to focus on the moments where there is no pressure to perform. Those are the moments that matter most in life, where we feel truly appreciated for being who we are, and those are the moments this initiative celebrates.”

“To portray genuine friendship, we had to momentarily break every rule in marketing. No casting. No script. No consent. We decided to shoot first and ask for permission later. The results speak for themselves,” added Daniel Fisher, Global Chief Creative Officer at INGO.

“We treated this as documentary photography, not advertising,” concluded photographer Tles. “Nothing was directed or staged. By stepping back and letting moments unfold, we were able to capture something far more honest - interactions and feelings as they exist in real life, not as they are usually presented.”