Heineken refines focus to build a powerhouse global brand position

A more centralised approach to marketing and communications, with a

view to creating a global power brand, has earned Heineken the

Certificate of Excellence in the Advertiser of the Year category in the

MEDIA 2000 Agency of the Year awards.

While it has grown consistently over the past decade to become the

region's most valued beer brand, Heineken's vision for the future was to

consolidate its position and grow volume and further value in the

brand.

To accomplish this objective, a more focused approach on building the

brand into a truly global power brand was needed.

Bates Asia was appointed to help lead the way. Its task was to adapt,

help and work with Heineken to achieve a more consistent brand-building

approach.

This involved not only a more consistent approach to the brand-building

exercise across Asia-Pacific but a process that allowed local market

input to create more regional and global communication that could work

anywhere - ideas that could work across such diverse countries as

Vietnam and Singapore.

It is important to note that prior to 2000, the Heineken brand in

Asia-Pacific was driven market-by-market with communication propositions

developed specifically for individual markets.

As a result, the region was not unified in its communication and

brand-building strategy.

Bates' key task, therefore, was to build more synergies and

consistencies.

The agency created and developed campaigns for regional and worldwide

usage to provide:

- Greater brand awareness

- Stronger empathy with the brand

- Well-liked creative

- Consistent image and message

The new campaigns also aim to achieve global consistency around the

Heineken communication proposition, which is "It could only be

Heineken".

At the same time, they built and reinforced consistent brand values as

well as developed integrated programmes which focused on delivering more

memorable and relevant messages to consumers.

The campaigns - broken down into television, print, outdoor and below

the line - have been provided to markets around the world, including

Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam in

Asia-Pacific.

However, the strength of the overall strategy lay in the fact that local

Heineken offices could determine the implementation of the campaign in

their own markets.

Singapore offers a good example of the kinds of results the campaign

achieved. The sales volume of Heineken grew by 21 per cent

year-on-year.

Based on the Malt, Liquor and Beverage tracking, spontaneous brand

awareness was up by 10 per cent. In addition, pre-testing research

confirmed that the creative ideas were well liked and that it

successfully communicated the 'It could only be Heineken'

proposition.

The Heineken brand in Singapore, therefore, was able to refocus itself

based on the global positioning to become a more accessible brand and

not just a niche player.