Heineken 0.0’s Bakerl0.0 Tube Takeover and the Power of Imperfect OOH Moments

Dry January has become one of the most competitive moments in the ooh advertising calendar, particularly across transport environments where commuters are already primed for routine disruption and cultural commentary. This year, Heineken 0.0 leaned fully into that space by temporarily renaming London Underground stations, with the Bakerloo line becoming Bakerl0.0 as part of a high-impact Tube station takeover. The campaign immediately caught attention across social media, press and commuter conversation, reinforcing how powerful culturally loaded locations can be when used creatively in outdoor advertising.

The execution was designed to feel playful rather than preachy. Stations including Oxford Circus and Waterloo were reworked into Oxf0.0rd Circus and Waterl0.0, while brand ambassadors handed out free cans of Heineken 0.0 alongside branded Oyster card holders. The physical nature of the activation mattered. This was not just a visual stunt but an experience that commuters could touch, take away and photograph, which is where ooh advertising continues to outperform digital formats during moments like Dry January.

What turned a strong activation into a genuine PR talking point was an unexpected mistake. Two stations, Kilburn Park and Maida Vale, appeared in the wrong order on the rebranded line signage. TfL staff removed the hoardings almost immediately once the error was spotted and correct signage was reinstated. In operational terms, the takeover was short lived. In earned media terms, it travelled far further than planned.

This kind of unintended media moment sits in an interesting space for marketers. While brands aim to control messaging in outdoor advertising, particularly within regulated transport environments, public-facing campaigns exist in the real world where scrutiny is immediate and relentless. In this case, the error did not undermine the brand or the Dry January message. Instead, it fuelled conversation. Photos of the signage circulated widely, headlines followed, and the campaign gained an additional layer of cultural relevance through debate and humour.

The activation follows a clear lineage of transport-led ooh advertising that deliberately uses place as part of the idea. Samsung’s Fold Street and Burberry Street both demonstrated how renaming or reinterpreting familiar locations can spark attention precisely because they interrupt daily behaviour. Heineken’s Bakerl0.0 takeover worked for the same reason. Londoners know the Tube map instinctively. Any deviation feels personal, which is why it generates such strong reaction.

From a PR and marketing perspective, the key takeaway is not that mistakes are desirable, but that memorability often comes from moments that feel human rather than overly polished. The presence of a physical giveaway, combined with bold station branding, ensured the campaign lived beyond the platforms themselves. Even once the hoardings were removed, the story continued.

For brands planning large-scale ooh advertising in transport environments, this campaign reinforces an important truth. Impact does not come solely from perfection. It comes from relevance, timing and cultural fluency. When an activation is rooted in a shared public space and aligned with a moment like Dry January, even an operational slip can become part of the narrative rather than a liability.

In a media landscape where attention is increasingly fragmented, Heineken 0.0’s Tube takeover shows that outdoor advertising still thrives on real-world interaction. When commuters can see it, photograph it, talk about it and take something home, the message travels further than any planned media schedule ever could.