Heineken's New Ad Does Everything Pepsi's Couldn't

Ever since Pepsi quickly pulled its Kendall Jenner ad—amid extreme backlash after it suggested that world peace and the resolution to police brutality were as simple as handing a cop a soda—people have been debating whether a brand would step in and have the final say. After all, Coca Cola had its famous "I'd Like to Buy the World a Coke" song back in '71—maybe the longtime rival would weigh in.

But a new ad from Heineken seems to be the mic-drop moment we were waiting for, as the beer company uses its airtime to provide an honest, refreshing look at bringing people together—over a drink, not because of a drink.

In Heineken's Worlds Apart video, the company has total strangers meet over a drink. They were paired up with someone with opposing political views, and had them talk to each other. It sounds simple, but in a world where our primary source of news is often our social newsfeeds, where we like everyone who agrees with us and hide everyone who doesn't, we often don't honestly and frankly talk about our beliefs with people who view the world differently than we do. This ad achieves just that, bringing together people from every walk of life—far left and far right, climate-change deniers and believers, a transgender woman and a man who doesn't approve of being trans—to show how similar they truly are.

The video starts with an icebreaker, as the two work together to make stools and a table, then describe who they are and how they're alike before revealing to the two people that they fall on different ends of the spectrum politically. They're given an ultimatum: Now that they know the truth, they can leave, or they can have a drink and discuss their differences.

Fast Company has deemed it the "antidote" to the Pepsi ad, but you'll have to see it for yourself to determine that—and see what everyone decides to do:

Follow Marie Claire on Facebook for the latest celeb news, beauty tips, fascinating reads, livestream video, and more.