An unconventional arcade game that invited beer drinkers to stroke a furry capybara’s bum has earned international recognition, with the HERO agency’s Hoegaarden campaign Capybarapy recognised today in the 2026 Cannes Entertainment Lions for Gaming.
Campaign Brief reports that the campaign is one of just 20 entries to have been included from 216 worldwide submissions, and the only Australian-credited entry to make the cut in the Lions for Gaming category.
Created to bring Hoegaarden’s promise of relaxation to life in an unexpected way, Capybarapy tapped into China’s growing fascination with capybaras, the internet-famous animals celebrated for their unusually calm demeanour.
The idea was built around a cultural insight: while China’s beer category is traditionally dominated by celebrity endorsements, high-energy experiences and party-focused messaging, Hoegaarden wanted to connect with younger drinkers through a very different proposition.
With workplace burnout and social pressures leaving many young consumers looking for ways to unwind, the campaign embraced the capybara’s reputation as an unlikely symbol of calm.
Rather than simply putting the animal on a screen, Capybarapy invited consumers to experience the feeling of interacting with one through a custom-built arcade machine. Speaking from Cannes, HERO founder and Creative Chairman Ben Lilley said the tactile appeal of the game is what’s made it such a hit.
“It’s an unexpected way to tap into the capybara craze that’s sweeping China,” Lilley said. “But people literally can’t keep their hands off it. It’s a real credit to Hoegaarden to back such an offbeat idea.”
At the centre of the activation was a specially designed controller featuring a hyper-realistic, furry capybara backside. Covered in fur designed to replicate the density of a real capybara’s coat and fitted with pressure sensors, the unconventional joystick allowed players to control an on-screen game by stroking it in time with prompts.
To take part, consumers purchased a Hoegaarden and played their way through the experience, turning an ordinary beer purchase into an unexpected moment of stress relief.
The activation rolled out across Beijing, Shanghai and Chengdu during November and December 2025, attracting significant attention and queues around the installations.
The experience extended beyond the arcade machines, with limited-edition capybara merchandise giving consumers something to take home. Installations in subway escalator spaces and 7-Eleven stores helped bring the campaign to everyday urban environments, while a social media competition using the hashtag #Capybarapy encouraged further participation and sharing.
The campaign’s deliberately absurd execution provided a point of difference in a crowded beer market, using humour and physical interaction to communicate a brand message without relying on celebrity appearances or conventional advertising formats.
Its Cannes Lions recognition places the campaign among 20 selected entries in the Entertainment Lions for Gaming category, highlighting the growing role of interactive experiences and gaming in brand storytelling.
For Hoegaarden, the unusual approach was ultimately designed to deliver a straightforward brand message, commenting: “A little unexpected, yes, but it delivers on our brand promise of relaxation.”
With just one very calm capybara, a decidedly unconventional joystick and plenty of curious participants, Capybarapy has demonstrated how a playful cultural insight can be transformed into an experience that captures attention well beyond traditional advertising channels.
