In the Northeast, Buckler Hits the Airwaves with
Live Radio Advertising and Hits the Street with an
In-Store Sampling Program: Sales Soar!
Heineken: The Official Beer of the 1993
U.S. Open Tennis Championships
As the non-alcoholic brew category grows
in acceptance, Buckler is poised to grab
more market share in 1993, thanks to
some innovative promotion and adver
tising.
Starting just a few months ago, the
Buckler on- and off-premise taste-testing
program has been a smash in its initial
markets: Boston, Long Island, Los Ange
les, Miami/Ft. Lauderdale, New Jersey,
New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco
and Washington, D.C.
Aptly dubbed "Tasting is Believing,"
the new program utilizes a "Buckler
Bucks" coupon program in both seg
ments. Off-premise, professional
samplers offer consumers 5 oz. sam
pling cups and talk up the Heineken
heritage of the product.
For on-premise, a Buckler sam
pling kit has been introduced, which
has everything from tabletents to
key chains, and which is designed
to maximize Buckler awareness for
strong sampling.
Just as exciting is the all-new ad
support Buckler's receiving in 1993.
This year, we've concentrated our
efforts in 5 key Northeast markets,
using live radio ads to generate ex
citement about the product.
By using celebrity D.J.'s to
read, (and embellish upon,)
our ads, we've brought some
extra personality to the spots.
In Philly, radio veteran Ed
Schiaky has fun with the ads on
WYSP. He's seen here at left
(seated), with VMCO District Man
ager Mark Angelone. Above,
VMCO District Manager John
Bessent is flanked by WIYY/Balti-
more radio stars Russ and Sherry.
The Buckler spots are also heard
on the Don Mike show on Wash
ington, D.C.'s WJFK and on the
Charles Laquidara show on
Boston's WBCN.
In New York, legendary Don Imus has
made the spots part of his everyday dis
cussion, often mentioning the product a
number of times a day. On one memo
rable occasion, Gov. Mario Cuomo called
Imus on the air and mentioned Buckler!
It's the kind of advertising no amount of
money can buy.
Imus can be heard in New York on
WFAN, along with Mike Francessa and
Chris Russo, (Mike and the Mad Dog,)
who do the Buckler ads during the im
portant afternoon drive-time hours.
Come September, the eyes of the sports
world will be on one place: New York's
National Tennis Center and the 1993 U.S.
Open. And one thing's for sure - those
eyes will be seeing plenty of Heineken
brand i.d.
Now in the second year of a multi-year
contract, Heineken is once again the Of
ficial Beer of the U.S. Open, the crowning
jewel in tennis' Grand Slam.
As Official Beer, Heineken will not
only be served throughout the center and
be supported with plenty of on-site
signage, but its logo will also be seen
throughout the world-wide television
broadcast as part of the backcourt signage.
(At right, the logo provides a stunning
backdrop as Steffi Graf prepares to serve.)
U.S. fans will also see plenty of net
work television advertising throughout
CBS's late-round coverage. As it did last
year, the "Just Being the Best is Enough"
tagline fits perfectly with the prestigious
image of this world-class event.
In fact, Heineken chose to get involved
with the U.S. Open precisely because of
the image it enjoys. "People naturally
expect Heineken to be associated with
the very best," said VMCO Vice President/
Marketing George Kahl, "whether that
means the accounts in which it's served
or the sporting events it sponsors."
