Label of export Heineken
made more 'beery'
New design more in line with desired image
CONT. 330 ml e
LAGER BEER
34 The image of a brand can be created in many ways. The
outward presentation of the product is one of the essen
tial elements of the desired image. Changes to the
(body) label of Heineken beer may appear to be only
minor at first sight. But appearances are deceptive.
The Heineken design has been
given a more 'beery', a more
'emotional' image. The new
design has been introduced in the
United States and other export coun
tries.
But who in fact decides whether
and when a design needs to be
changed? What criteria are applied?
Clearly, a change in a Heineken
label doesn't simply emerge out of thin
air. It's the result of a continuous pro
cess, since it is the changing world
around us which determines whether
a product's design needs to be
changed. A change in design may be
made on the basis of two arguments:
pragmatic arguments and emotional
arguments.
Aesthetic
Changes based on pragmatic argu
ments are relatively simple to carry
out. The local government may impose
legal regulations which make certain
texts compulsory on the product pack.
It's then the task of Corporate Brands
Design, the department within
Heineken which develops new designs
and also acts as a watchdog over the
consistent image of the corporate
brands, to make that change in the
most aesthetic way, yet without this
affecting the product's image. Cees
Oostrum, head of Corporate Brands
Design: 'The number of rules set under
foods legislation is growing all the
time. We don't want to put all that infor
mation on the main body label, as that
would weaken the strength of our
image. Besides, there simply isn't
enough room. That is the reason why
the back label has been developed.'
Until recently the back label was a
green oblong shape. But signals came
in from various parts, including the
United States, that the back label was
seen as forming part of the overall prod
uct image and that consumers were
not overly enchanted by the solution
that Heineken had chosen. So a new
back label was developed, an oval
shape on a pedestal, which is more in
keeping with Heineken's premium
image and is therefore more in line
with what consumers expect.
Elegant party
Adaptations to the design for prag
matic reasons are relatively simple.
But the 'emotional' reasons are a
totally different kettle of fish.
Society is changing at a fast pace
and the product's design has to change
with its times to stay modern, dynamic,
vital, or to stay 'in the race'.
Oostrum quotes an example to
Left, the old body and back
labels. Right, the new ver
sions. At first sight the changes
may seem minor. Rut closer
study reveals the differences
more clearly.
0.G.1046"-1050"
BREWED AND BOTTLED BY
HEINEKEN BROUWERIJEN B.V.,
's-HERTOGENBOSCH
THE NETHERLANDS
T H E W O R I- I) OF H E I N E KEN
