Strong brand helps
How important is a brand? Why is it so important?
XO Heineken beer has captured a firm position
in the world and currently tops the charts
of the world's most exported heer brands.
That strong position is attributable to the
high and consistent quality of the product,
to a strong distribution netrwork and sales
organisation. All of this is combined with
the strength and image of the brand.
The brand is the mark put on an
object to distinguish it from
another or to indicate that it be
longs in a certain category. These diction
ary definitions explain only a fraction
of the real story. Little has been written
about the product and its brand, but
plenty has been said. Many people claim
that a good brand gives strength to a
product. Others believe that a good
product creates a successful brand.
Alfred H. Heineken, the departing
Chairman of the Heineken N.V Board
of Directors, sees the choice of a suc
cessful brand name as stemming mainly
from the instinct of the person who
named it.
pathetic ring to it. As a business you're
lucky to have such a brand name. We
see that wherever we brew Heineken
beer. That brand name simply goes
down well everywhere.'
Associations
A good brand name is worth its
weight in gold. Most of the big and famil
iar brands like Heineken are long-es
tablished. This is not so surprising, as
creating a branded product is a lengthy
process in which indispensable ele
ments include advertising, promotions,
packaging, sponsoring and free public
ity. Brand names are not usually mean-
pathetic ring to it. As a business you're
lucky to have such a brand name. We
see that wherever we brew Heineken
beer. That brand name simply goes
down well everywhere.'
Those associations originate from
all the impressions that a person has
gained about the brand during his
lifetime. Because of the situation in
which he encountered it, the people he
saw consuming it, and above all through
advertising as well. The associations
are usually not bounded by time. They
can 'stick' in a consumer's mind for
many dozens of years, sometimes even
for a whole lifetime. Human beings are
very quickly capable of 'translating' ob
servations into thoughts and emotions.
The sight of a brand logo and a brand
name evokes these associations instan
taneously. Brand symbol, brand name
and other visual attributes, such as a
characteristic colour, instantly give rise
to an associative reaction. Kodak has
yellow as its house colour, Heineken has
green. Mr. Heineken about the colour:
'Green on the label suggests security
Green is safe.'
'Suppose that you were to feed the
question into a computer, ask it to
search for a name for your beer. It prob
ably wouldn't come up with Heineken.
But this has proved an ideal name for
beer. It sounds German, it has three syl
lables and that fits in with beer. It's the
diminutive for Hein, which gives it a
friendly sound. In short, it has a sym-
THE WORLD OF HEINEKEN