It happens all the time. You're sitting around with friends and family, there's a lull in the conversation, so you all pull out your phones to see what's going on in the world on social media. Next thing you know, an hour has passed by and no one has said anything to each other when the whole point of getting together was to be social. I'm certainly guilty of it. It's like I can't go a single minute with some kind of mental stimulation. Colts game went to commercial? Better get on Twitter and see what everyone thinks about the game so far. Nothing on TV? Let's see what's happening on Facebook. I find it really difficult sometimes to just disconnect from it all.

I know I'm not alone. You probably find yourself in the same mindset more often than not, and so do millions of other people around the world. Ironically, social media seems to be killing people being social with each other face-to-face. Miller Lite is hoping to change that, and get people to return to a time when being social meant actually talking to them (over a Miller Lite or two, of course).

The company started their "Original Social Media" ad campaign back in October with a series of commercials showing what you might miss out on when you're glued to your phone and unaware of your surroundings.

The next phase of that campaign was revealed recently in the form of limited edition black cans. According to Miller-Coors, the limited edition cans will only be available at bars and taverns across the country starting this week. The all-black, "Offline Can," features the familiar Miller Lite logo in light grey lettering with the standard gold top found on traditional Miller Lite cans. On the back is a message in gold lettering that reads, "A few friends are better than a few thousand followers. Here’s to the original social media. Here’s to the original light beer. It’s Miller Time.”

It looks like this:

(Courtesy Miler-Coors Brewing Company)
(Courtesy Miler-Coors Brewing Company)
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There are two ways to get your hands on one next time you stop by your favorite watering hole in the Tri-State. First, you can simply ask your bartender for one and buy it outright like a regular can of Miller Lite. Or two, scan an available QR Code in the bar (Miller-Coors doesn't specify where you'll find it exactly. I'm assuming a sign on the wall or some other type of Miller Lite display), "that triggers a 30-minute countdown that can be synched among friends’ phones." If your entire group puts their phones away for the entire 30 minutes so they can conduct actual human interaction like the good ol' days, you "could be eligible to receive a Miller Lite Offline Can." Whether or not that can has beer in it isn't specified.

I'll be honest, the idea of not looking at my phone for 30 minutes sounds kind of tough. Not that I don't want to talk to my friends when we're out, but there always seems to be something brought up during conversation that one of us feels compelled to look up online. I guess during those 30 minutes we'll just have to table that part of the discussion. Or, we can just enjoy our beers and each other's company and talk about sports, or how much our kids drive us crazy. You know, be social.

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