2001 in Retrospect Heineken The Heineken brand again enjoyed vigorous growth in 2001, with sales up from 21.6 to 22.4 million hi 4%). Our main markets in Europe and the United States gen erated most of the increase, but volume growth was also reported in emerging markets in Latin America, Asia/Pacific and Africa. The growth of the Heineken brand is primarily the result of our persistent and consistent efforts to enhance the brand's value and secure a higher level of consumer pref erence, while improving the availability of Heineken in new and existing markets and tapping into new distribution channels. Gathering detailed market intelligence enables Heineken to optimise the introduction and/or develop ment of the brand in each individual market. Much of the information and many of the tools used in our brand-build ing activities are developed centrally by Heineken. In 2001, for example, the models we use for brand building in beer markets at different stages of development were further refined and a worldwide intranet portal was set up to improve the exchange of brand expertise and ideas. New tools were made available to the operating companies for the upgrading and maintenance of their local internet sites. The operating companies are able increasingly to draw on a shared pool of top-quality TV commercials, developed centrally or by other operating companies, and those in emerging markets have been given access to new campaigns. The operating companies themselves are responsible for the choice and implementation of local marketing initiatives. Sponsorship Sponsorship plays an important role in the international development of the Heineken brand. Heineken focuses its sponsorship activities chiefly on music, film and selected sporting events, chiefly tennis and rugby. The main tennis tournaments sponsored by Heineken are the Australian Open and the US Open. A new livery which better reflects the image we seek to project was devised this year for the Australian Open, a competition which generates a great deal of publicity especially in the Asia/Pacific region. The Davis Cup sponsorship contract has expired and has not been renewed. Heineken continues to sponsor the Heineken Cup, a rugby competition for top European clubs, the Hong Kong Dubai Sevens, also this year Heineken sponsored the Rugby World Cup Sevens in Argentina. Music sponsorship again accounted for the fastest growth in our expenditure on this activity. Heineken's image at national level benefited significantly from our sponsorship of several major festivals in Europe, including Jammin' in Italy, Green Energy in Ireland, the FIB-Heineken international music festival at Benicassim in Spain and the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland. New sponsorship initiatives included the Heineken Music Hall in the Nether lands, the Super Club in China and the Green Room Ses sions in Singapore. The Heineken Music Initiative, which supports talented bands and musicians, was launched in the United States. Our main film sponsorship project was Swordfish, which we supported in many countries with tie-in TV advertising and promotional activities. The Heineken Experience The Heineken Museum in Amsterdam has made way for the Heineken Experience, a visual and interactive exhibi tion which takes the visitor through the history of the com pany and the brand, the brewing process and Heineken's social function. The Heineken Experience attracted over 150,000 visitors, mainly foreign tourists, in its first six months of operation and was named the best tourist attraction in the Netherlands in 2001. The Heineken Experience also supports our international marketing and communication strategy. Amstel While the mainstream beer segment contracted in several important European countries, in many others, in Europe and outside, Amstel recorded growing sales. Amstel's total sales volume remained stable at 10.8 million hi. Sales were higher in Spain, Bulgaria and the United Kingdom, but fell short of the previous year's figure in the Netherlands, Greece and France, which are important markets for Amstel and where the beer market in general was lacklustre. In these markets in particular, mainstream beers such as Amstel faced growing competition from new premixed spirits. The weather was also a factor in the lower sales in these markets. However, Amstel reported higher sales in South Africa, Cameroon and Morocco, and the brand was successfully launched in Macedonia, Rwanda, Kazakhstan, Australia and Lebanon. Exports of Amstel Light to the United States increased HEINEKEN N.V. ANNUAL REPORT 2001 16

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