Miitzig gets to grips
European network agency:
more uniform image for Heineken
beer in Europe
Congo Brazzaville
wins Primus Award
Buckler cycling team
gets its own bus
J. Walter Thompson Europe is to handle the advertising
account of the Heineken brand in Europe. In Belgium,
France, Greece, Holland, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Spain
and Switzerland Heineken is switching from local adver
tising agencies to J. Walter Thompson (JWT). The transi
tion should be completed by 1st January next.
New course
Combinations
HEINEKEN INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE NR. 26 PAGE 4
Wrestling is a very popular sport in the African country of Cameroun.
Which is why International Brasserie in Cameroun, with its Miitzig brand,
reaps great success from its sponsoring of wrestling contests. Recently
Cameroun's capital city of Douala was the scene of another of these
wrestling tournaments at which the nation's champion wrestlers got to
grips with each other (top photo).
Music plays an important role in African culture. That's why Interna
tional Brasserie took care of the musical interludes during the tournament
(bottom photo). The brewery employs two full-time bands which provide
the musical entertainment during brewery-sponsored events. The musi
cians - wearing Miitzig T-shirts, of course - start each session by playing the
jingle used in the Miitzig commercial in Cameroun: "Miitzig avec nous!"
The post-1992 'internal market',
which has recently been much
discussed in public, is rapidly
drawing closer. For the main
Heineken brand this change also
has consequences in the market
ing field. Over the past two years
serious study has been devoted
to the impact of the Single Euro
pean Market on the marketing of
Heineken beer.
One point clearly emerged
from that study: the advertising
interests of Heineken beer need
to be placed in the hands of one
international advertising agency
with local branches (a 'network
agency'). The decision to choose
JWT was taken by a working
party of European Heineken
managers.
The switch to JWT means a
complete change of course for
Heineken. This new approach is
not only needed with a view to
the fast-approaching 'internal
market' but is also a conse
quence of the rapid changes tak
ing place in the media, consumer
behaviour and the trade.
The choice of JWT does not
necessarily mean that there will
soon be one single European ad
vertising campaign for
Heineken. The bones of the ad
vertising strategy are currently
being fleshed out in greater de
tail. Local market factors and lo
cal beer-drinking cultures are
being closely assessed to see
whether they fit within the more
detailed strategy outline.
In future, however, the sim
ilarities rather than the dif
ferences between the various
beer cultures will receive greater
attention. In a number of South
European countries those cul
tures are fairly similar. Accord
ing to marketing manager G.J.
Vuyk, it's quite possible that the
overall concept of an advertising
campaign may be the same in a
number of countries. Where ne
cessary, that concept could be
put across in a different way.
'We are starting from the as
sumption that the communica
tion problem is pretty much the
same in many European coun
tries. To date each advertising
agency in each country looked
for its own solution. But if the
problem is identical in various
countries, why should one coun
try's campaign differ from that
in another?'
El Aguila in Spain and Athe
nian Brewery in Greece were al
ready working together with the
local branches of J. Walter
Thompson. In the other Euro
pean countries, contracts with
the existing advertising agencies
have been terminated as far as
the Heineken brand account is
concerned. In the course of this
year the change-over to JWT will
be completed. JWT's first cam
paign for Heineken in Holland
will be launched at the end of
this summer.
Some time ago the Primus Awards were presented again. Mr J.L. Homé
(pictured, centre) received the gold Primus Award on behalf of Brasserie
de Brazzaville. On the left is Mr P. Lebru who received the silver Award on
behalf of Brarudi in Burundi. The bronze award went to Brahma's Bukavu
brewery in Zaire, represented here by Mr A. Kruidenier.
The Primus Awards are presented annually to the breweries which
produce a high quality of Primus beer.
The Buckler team of racing cyclists got their own luxury coach some
time ago. For the next three cycling seasons the bus will serve as the mobile
"home base" for the cycle racing team. The almost 4-metre-high bus can
also be used for promotional activities.
The luxury coach is fitted with all mod cons, even including on-board
audio and video equipment. PR manager Harrie Jansen has his own little
office inside the bus, complete with telephone, fax machine and personal
computer. For the cyclists the bus contains a shower and massage facilities.
This season the bus will be transporting the racing team to many cycle
races. Perhaps you'll see the distinctive Buckler bus in your area, too.
4«2»P Utiitiip
