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
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