Research reveals 84 minutes is the perfect length for a catch-up

New research reveals in an era of busy schedules and planned occasions, nearly three quarters of Brits (73%) wish they had more casual catch ups with friends.

While longer social occasions remain popular, with 14% of Brits saying their typical catch up lasts four hours or more, the research highlights an appetite for more casual ways to stay connected. In fact, 69% say they want easier and lower-pressure ways to see friends more often.

The research commissioned by Madrí Excepcional Limón shows that having meaningful connections with friends is easier than most people think, and Brits say that 84 minutes is the ideal amount of time. That leaves enough time to cover the key topics that make up a great catch up, including family updates (51%), friendship group gossip (48%), work updates (45%), relationships (43%) and upcoming holidays (43%).

This comes as 64% say socialising today feels more like an organised event than an everyday occurrence, with 45% believe socialising has become more planned than it was five years ago. Only 30% of Brits organise a catch up within three days of the event, while nearly half (40%) have gone more than a month without an impromptu catch up. A further 10% can’t even remember the last time they had one.

Reflecting a desire for more last minute catch ups, one in five (20%) identify as “Low Key Linkers”, preferring smaller, more relaxed get-togethers, while 9% describe themselves as “After-Work Catcher Uppers” who favour easy plans that fit naturally into their routine.

The findings suggest many people find it increasingly difficult to make socialising more of an everyday occurrence with packed schedules (43%), lack of energy after work (30%) and travel time (20%) all creating barriers to seeing people more casually and regularly alongside the big calendar moments.

Many (62%) believe shorter and more regular moments of connection actually help maintain friendships better than occasional big plans, while three fifths (61%) say they miss when socialising felt more casual and easy. Brits’ preferred ways of a quick catch up include meeting friends outdoors (42%), casual BBQs or garden gatherings (40%), sitting in a park or beer garden with friends (36%) or a relaxed drink after work in the sunshine (33%).

To encourage the nation to celebrate more informal social moments this summer, the beer brand has today opened The Squeeze It Inn outside BOXPARK Shoreditch on Bethnal Green Road – inspired by the social spirit and street-side drinking culture of Madrid.

With Spanish-style snacks and complimentary samples of the brand’s two iconic variants – Madrí Excepcional 0.0% and the new Madrí Excepcional Limón, a refreshing lemon flavoured beer with a fresh, zesty citrus taste – the pop-up aims to celebrate relaxed, low-pressure and meaningful socialising. It comes complete with playful conversation prompts, designed around the nation’s self-declared “perfect” amount of time for a catch up – 84 minutes – bringing friends together and celebrating the moments of connection that make summer memorable.

The pop up opens as the desire for easier social moments becomes even stronger during summer, with 70% saying warmer weather and longer evenings makes them more likely to want to make more flexible and last minute plans.

In cities like London, where life moves quickly, finding time for social occasions can be particularly challenging. Three in five (60%) Londoners say they feel too time poor for lengthy social occasions, despite three quarters (75%) admitting they want easier ways to see people more often.

For gatherings at home, Madrí Excepcional Limón is also giving consumers the chance to win a refreshing four pack of Madrí Excepcional Limón and an Ultimate Garden Catch-Up Kit via the brand’s social channels. Designed to encourage more informal summer catch ups with friends, consumers can enter the giveaway* by following @madriexcepcional on Instagram, liking the post and tagging a friend (18+) that they would like to have a catch up with over a Madrí Excepcional Limón (18+ people only).

Anca Secara, Marketing Controller for Madrí Excepcional, said: “Our research shows nearly three quarters of Brits are craving more casual catch-ups with friends – alongside the big, planned get-togethers. And that feeling only grows in summer, with 67% saying the warmer weather makes them more open to impromptu plans. That’s exactly what inspired The Squeeze It Inn in celebration of the new Madrí Excepcional Limón – a nod to Madrid’s vibrant social scene and a celebration of easy-going summer meet-ups, great conversation, and those simple moments of connection”.