Brits may spend months looking forward to a summer holiday – but the feeling doesn’t last long once they return home. After seeing a glimpse of summer during May’s heatwave, San Miguel is inviting people to hold onto that feeling with the launch of an interactive public experience in London’s Canary Wharf. Alongside this, a free beer giveaway will encourage Brits across England to tap into their care-free, out-of-office energy.
New research, commissioned by the Spanish beer brand San Miguel, reveals nearly half of Brits (45%) say their “holiday self” disappears within just 48 hours of returning home, despite three in five (59%) saying they feel like the best version of themselves while away. The feeling is even stronger amongst Londoners (66%).
The study found holidays unlock a more carefree, adventurous side of people, with almost half of Brits (47%) saying they become more spontaneous when abroad, while more than a quarter (28%) admit they are more likely to talk to strangers.
Now, San Miguel is bringing this longed-for “holiday feeling” into the middle of the working week with the launch of its new interactive “Holiday Mirror” experience in Canary Wharf.
Running from 2nd to 4th June at Reuters Plaza, the installation transforms commuters into more carefree holiday versions of themselves in the middle of the working week, encouraging Londoners to reconnect with the mindset of spontaneity and freedom often left behind after time away.
While the research also reveals that one in four (26%) regains the holiday feeling by enjoying a beer in a pub garden, participants who embrace their “holiday self” in the activation will take away the ultimate souvenir – a San Miguel ‘boarding pass,’ redeemable for a complimentary ice-cold San Miguel pint at Pergola on the Wharf.
The experience is part of San Miguel’s wider Spanish Summer, No Matter When campaign, which positions spontaneity and openness as key to unlocking life’s richest moments, encouraging people to bring the vibrant spirit of a Spanish summer into everyday life. It is inspired by the insight* that the nation is craving moments of escapism in daily routines, with nearly two thirds (62%) wishing they could feel more carefree and expressive in everyday life. As the number one Spanish beer in UK retail**, San Miguel aims to show that the holiday feeling isn’t defined by weather, destination, or a boarding pass – it’s a mindset of spontaneity and letting go.
Ed Hussey, senior band manager at San Miguel, said: “People often return from summer holidays feeling like they’ve left the best version of themselves behind. The recent heatwave gave us a small glimpse of what that feels like.
“Our research shows holiday gives people permission to be more spontaneous, sociable and carefree — and we wanted to explore how people can hold onto that feeling for longer, even once they’re back home and back to routine.
“The Holiday Mirror is designed to remind people that a Spanish summer isn’t just about sunshine abroad — it’s about mindset, spontaneity and making the most of everyday moments.”
To extend the campaign and kickstart the Spanish Summer feeling earlier, San Miguel will also give away thousands of free beers across England from from 5th to 21st June. Consumers can redeem a free 620ml bottle of San Miguel in Tesco and Sainsbury’s stores nationwide, subject to availability, by visiting @sanmiguel_uk on Instagram, engaging with the brand’s “Go Holiday Mode” post and sharing their own “summer holiday self” moment to receive a 100% cashback link.
Whether it’s enjoying a beer in the sunshine, saying yes to spontaneous plans or simply escaping routine for a moment, San Miguel is encouraging Brits to reconnect with their holiday self this summer.
