Heineken TV Spot
Tests Media
êyê
Truth in Advertising
or Whatever?
The creation of the new Heineken TV
spot took a lot of people and know-
how. The spot was produced for six test
market areas Houston, San Francis
co, Atlanta, Seattle, Minneapolis/St. Paul
and Hartford/New Haven. The test ran
for six weeks and is now being evalu
ated for effectiveness. Below are a cou
ple of candid shots during filming at
Ampersand Production and a couple of
stills from the thirty second spot.
The thirty second script said, "There
are more than 125 beers imported into
this country. But this one (close-up of
Heineken bottle being poured) is the
big one. Heineken has long been
America's overwhelming favorite. It's
the one unique taste that can't be mis
taken. for any other beer in the world.
To all those people who make taste
number onethank you for making us
number one. That special taste from
Holland, Heineken. Go ahead, have
one."
Among many pertinent points made by
Leo Van Munching, Jr., VMCO Presi
dent, in his speech accepting a Certifi
cate of Commendation from the
Netherlands, are these remarks about
current beer advertising:
"Whenever we learn about a new
foreign beer coming into the U.S. mar
ket, we at Van Munching and at
Heineken in Holland feel a glow of
pride. Somebody else is looking for a
piece of the market that was opened up
by Heineken at a time when foreign
beers were only a novelty.
"I must, however, admit to some
'mixed emotions,' when I contemplate
the ad and promotional efforts certain
entries in the imported beer category
are mounting in the U.S.
"When I say 'mixed emotions,' I refer
to gross exaggerations and even down
right untruths used to support their
efforts to break into this market, as if
their sponsors didn't think that their
taste and quality alone could support
their entry.
"When I say 'mixed emotions,' I refer
to the compliment that these brands
extend to Heineken because when
ever the brands I am talking about are
trying to establish themselves as the so-
called 'best' they compare them
selves to Heineken. Either with an illus
tration including the Heineken bottle
or in the copy such as Dab, a German
beer, which advertises that 'In Ger
many, Dab outsells Beck's and
Heineken combined.' That's easy...
since Heineken doesn't sell its beer in
Germany.
"Then we have an imported beer
called Fischer and it calls itself the fast
est. growing imported French beer in
America. Maybe so. How many French
beers are selling in America?
"Then, there's another Alsatian beer
called Kronenbourg. They're out to be
come the largest imported beer in the
U.S., supplementing Heineken. That's a
worthy ambition since one out of every
two bottles of imported beer sold in
America is a Heineken. We say, do the
best you can with your product but
don't exaggerate. Already Kronen
bourg has stated that it will spend twice
the annual Heineken budget for adver
tising. That just isn't true. They may be
spending a lot of money for their intro
ductory campaign. But it will only
amount to a fraction of the Heineken
budget. If they're as good as they think
■111
- V V' a(
they are, they'll find their share of the
market, just like the other 138 foreign
beers available in America. Let's wait a
while and measure their track record.
In the meantime, may I repeat, Van
Munching and Company is flattered
that theyquite correctly we think
regard Heineken as the brand you've
got to beat."
Setting up glasses of Heineken and
Heineken bottles to form a giant "1"
for overhead shots. They're lit from
below, above, and the side.
Al Nilson, VMCO Ad Manager, is on
hand to watch progress.
This is how the "1looked in the final
shot.
WiËmm
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A 20.1% INCREASE in Heineken sales
for fiscal 1980 earns Joe Hurst, Sales
Manager of Hamilton Distributing Co.
in Hamilton, Ohio, congratulations
from Andy Mather, VMCO Division
Manager, left. Joe commented that he
got the increase through extra effort in
on-premise accounts.
AT THE Pennsylvania Convention, in
front of the Heineken booth, are Mr.
and Mrs. Jay Twigg of J. Twigg Distrib
uting Co., Lancaster, Pa., and left,
Fred Otto, VMCO Division Manager.
THE MOSLER SAFE COMPANY Rath
skeller held at the Chicago Hyatt
House during the American Bankers
Association Convention in October,
served Heineken beer to 2,500 visitors
and some twenty-four barrels were
consumed. At the Rathskeller during
the convention were, left to right:
Robert Myron of Mosler Safe, Bob
Waselewski, VMCO Midwest Division
Manager and John Pearce of Mosler.
