illustrate the need for this. 'Suppose
that you're going to a very elegant
party tomorrow. You go shopping and
buy an expensive suit that looks
superb. During the party the other
guests remark on what a fine suit
you're wearing. Five years later you're
invited to another posh party. So you
take that same suit out of your ward
robe and go to the party. And everyone
can see that the suit is out of date. Basi
cally, you stick out like a sore thumb. So
something must have changed in the
world around you. Labelling is in fact
the way you clothe your product. That
is how you communicate to others who
you are and what you are.'
From a great number of sources
Heineken receives signals which tell it
that the design of its beer needs to be
reassessed. Those signals mostly
come from people who operate in the
market and are close to the consumer,
such as agents, representatives and
market researchers.
Updates
In recent years the Heineken label
has constantly been updated in line
with the standards of the time. Consu
mers did not even notice most of the
changes. 'But if we hadn't changed the
design, they would certainly have
noticed', asserts Cees Oostrum. And
anyone who places the Heineken label
of ten years ago alongside the present
label will understand what Oostrum is
driving at. The difference is striking.
Over the next ten years the label
will be given more frequent updates to
keep it in line with changing circum
stances. Those changes need not
necessarily be caused by shifts in
social values and attitudes. Many beer
markets in the world have developed
strongly in recent years; competition
from local brands is getting fiercer,
there is a sharp climb in the number of
imported beers.
So, the design of Heineken will con
tinue to evolve in line with its main
attributes of 'modern' and 'vital', yet
without compromising the brand's
identity.
According to Cees Oostrum, the
next change in the Heineken label will
not be long in coming. 'I expect that
we'll be making another change some
two to three years from now.' And that
will complete the circle again. But the
time-frame that Corporate Brands
Design has to operate in is becoming
increasingly tighter.
T li F. W O R L I) O F H F I N F K F N
