Legal eagles exchange experiences
page:
For quite some time now there have been signs of a wind of
change within Heineken Nederland. For many years the
Heineken and Amstel brands ruled the roost in Holland. Two
years ago that had already started to change a little with the
introduction of Amstel 1870, followed not long after by a
relaunch of Amstel Gold and the market debuts of Amstel
Light and Buckler. But Heineken thought it was still not
enough; last month Amstel 1870 was re-introduced, this time
under the name 1870 van AmsteFAnd a brand-new product
was also put on the market: Dry 100, Mild Beer. It's plain to
see: the Dutch beer market is changing and Heineken Neder
land has to keep ahead of these changes if it is to maintain its
strong position on the Dutch market. The newcomers in the
range were the main talking points in the interview that
Heineken International Magazine had with brand manager
Paul Nitschmann.
Expectations
Recognisable
Why was the name changed?
Hundred times
Dry 100
I
HEINEKEN INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE NR. 22
Heineken Nederland launches
Dry and repositions 1870
Amstel 1870 is meanwhile
called 1870 van Amstel. Two years
after its introduction the product
has been renamed. This is only one
of the changes and it forms part of
a bigger operation, known as a 're
positioning'. Why make a drastic
change in a product's positioning
after as little as two years?
In the early 'eighties prepara
tions were started for the introduc
tion of Amstel 1870. The new prod
uct had to prov ide a response to the
consumer's growing demand for
speciality beer types. The reason
why Heineken Nederland waited
so long with the introduction was
entirely due to the packaging.
Amstel 1870 had to become a spe
cial beer, and this influenced the
choice of pack. "We were busy
developing a new returnable bottle
and we deliberately waited until
that new bottle was available. You
don't want to present the consumer
with a new product like Amstel
1870 in an old, scuffed bottle",
explains Nitschmann. The next
Twenty Heineken lawyers and
company secretaries got together
in Amsterdam a few months ago
for one of their two-yearly meet
ings to exchange experiences and
discuss new developments. Those
attending represented breweries in
Burundi, France, Spain, Ireland,
Belgium (Heineken Import Bel
gium), Singapore, Zaïre and the
Netherlands. Participants from
Italy, Greece and Nigeria unfortu
nately had to withdraw at the last
moment.
During the two-day meeting the
participants were served up a var
ied menu of talks, some of a legal
nature, some on more general top
ics with legal implications. Sub
jects included: the latest develop
ments in EC legislation and in
trademark law, and Heineken's pol
icy in the Netherlands with regard
to alcohol consumption.
wait was for a suitable display crate
which would match the sought-
after image of the Amstel 1870
product.
But in those years after 1980 the
beer market became ever more tur
bulent. Increasing numbers of Bel
gian and German beer brands were
finding their way to Dutch consum
ers. "When we introduced Amstel
1870 two years ago, we stuck to the
concept that we'd devised in the
early 'eighties. With hindsight you
can say that we were 'overselling':
we wanted to put too many selling
points into the product. We weren't
able to live up to the expectations
we'd aroused for the product in
comparison with other, often
strong beers."
In communicating to the con
sumer there has always been a
strong emphasis on putting across
the extra full-bodied flavour of
Amstel 1870 ("the challenge to the
real beer drinker"). And that while
the emergence of all sorts of beer
specialities was bringing the con
sumer into contact with beers
which, compared to lager and
Amstel 1870, had a much more dis
tinct taste difference and were
often more full-bodied as well. In
the meantime a premium segment
had developed within the Dutch
beer market, and this provided a
much better niche for the Amstel
1870 concept. Experts expect that
this segment is likely to show con
siderable growth yet.
So it was a logical move to
reposition Amstel 1870 to give it a
firm place in this growth segment.
The product's bitterness and aroma
were slightly modified. Blind tast
ing tests have now shown that the
new product1870 van Amstel' has
a very high score for flavour.
"1870 is outstandingly a pre
mium product. Amstel does not
have that premium position in the
Netherlands. By coupling 1870
direct to the Amstel main brand
name, your risk is that the consum
er may confuse it with Amstel
pilsener lager. That's why we
changed the name: to give the prod
uct a bigger chance to build up its
own identity. The product is called
1870, and it's 'from' Amstel",
states Nitschmann.
Within a year 1870 should have
built up a solid position in the pre
mium segment. Nitschmann feels
that this should be possible, espe
cially as an intensive campaign is
being held in these last few months
of 1989. "Up to the end of the year
we'll be on TV one hundred times
- that's almost every day - with a
commercial that's highly original
for the Netherlands."
In other ways, too, the premium
character of 1870 is being heavily
promoted. "We're looking for out
lets with a premium-type image
which are willing to sell 1870 only.
In other words: just 1870, and no
other lager brand. 1870 will be
sold from a dispenser tap specially
designed for this brand. The café
owner can then receive free
glassware, drip catchers and beer
mats. He won't have an ordinary
illuminated sign outside his prem
ises, but an exclusive display con
sisting of an 1870 enamel sign
framed in wrought iron. That pub-
sign will be illuminated by two
spotlights. Clearly emphasising
the premium status of 1870."
The decision to introduce Dry
100 Mild Beer is based on another
trend in the beer market. Many
beer drinkers are showing an
increasing interest for speciality
and unusual beer types like Bel
gian and German brews, but also
for Dutch speciality beers.
Research has revealed that people
in the 'light users' category often
refuse a glass of beer because they
think it tastes too bitter. "There's
not much on offer in the Nether
lands in the way of lighter,
smoothly drinkable beers. The suc
cess of Dry Beer in Japan set our
minds working and we looked into
the possibilities for Dry on the
Dutch market. We found that con
sumers could 'see something' in
the product".
Within a very short space of time
the new product was brought to the
commercial stage. At the end of
April the marketing department
was given the go-ahead and Dry
100 was launched on 1st Sep
tember.
Dry Beer can be described as a
mild beer with a non-cloying after
taste. The taste of the beer does not
linger long because all sugars have
been fully fermented during the
brewing process. Nor is Dry as bit
ter as pilsener lagers because it
contains hop varieties which give
the beer more aroma but less bitter
ness.
Lawyers and company secretaries meet in ZoeterwoudeBack row, left to
right: J. Scroope (Ireland), F.JAlonso Munumer (Spain), C. van den
Bulcke (Belgium), E.C. Le Poole (corporate), Soh Heng Mei (Singa
pore), H.H.F. Jansen, M.C.H. Soeterbroek, J.M.Th, de Jonge, C. van
Es, L.P. Geenen (all from the Netherlands), M.C. Lefebre (France), L.P.
Willing (corporate), P. Zanga Z'Ompela (Zaire) and L. Nduwayo
(Burundi). Foreground, left to right: A. Chailloux, R. Ie Roux (bothfrom
France), G. van Kampen, R.M. Mieremet (both from the Netherlands)
and H.P Helleman (corporate). (B. Gutlé from France is missing from
this photo).