lato roject launch pad
Cor making Heineken a global brand
Defining a single global personality and identity for the Heineken brand.
That, in brief, was the objective of the Plato Project which was initiated by
Corporate Marketing Strategy Policy.
~'he 'multi-local' approach which
Heineken adopted in the past
lias borne fruit for the brand.
Thanks to that approach Heineken
beer has built up a strong position
and lias grown to become the world's
most international beer.
For every market a tailor-made
marketing strategy was devised,
taking into accounl fixed guidelines
for the product's characteristics and
for its presentation. Local circumstan
ces therefore formed the basis for the
brand policy to be pursued, with no
regard for possible similarities
between the various markets.
Media
The strong growth in the global
exchange of information is what
made Heineken decide on a different
approach. Global brand manager
Chris Vuyk gives some examples of
the changes in the world. "Just look at
the developments in llie media. Half
of llie Irish population watch British
television. Sixty per cent of Swiss
viewers tune in to foreign TV stations.
We're also seeing a similar develop
ment in Asia; Star TV in Hong Kong
can be viewed on the whole Pacific
region. So it is unwise if the Heineken
message we want to put across still
differs for each country."
Horizon
But the developments in the
media are not the only motives for
Heineken's change of course. The
horizon of the Heineken consumer is
becoming increasingly broader.
Travel to the remotest corners of the
globe, something that was considered
out-of-the-ordinary a mere twenty
Chris Vuyk: "Heineken has to become a truly global brand, like Sony, Coca Cola and
Seiko.
years ago, is today looked upon as
almost commonplace. Certainly when
we consider the still-increasing num
ber of business journeys, which mean
that more and more people (i.e.
consumers) are coming into contact
with different cultures. "The consum
er whose loyalty we seek to win is the
consumer whose horizon reaches out
beyond his own small world. People
like this are interested in global
brands. And we want to make
Heineken a truly global brand, just as
familiar as the names Sony, Coca Cola
or Seiko", explains Vuyk.
Fourteen countries
For the Plato survey Heineken
used the services of a consultancy
bureau which had previously carried
out similar assignments for global
brands like Marlboro and Coca Cola.
Consultants from this bureau,
accompanied by a Heineken employ
ee, visited fourteen countries and stu
died the present position of Heineken
and the similarities shown by consu
mers in the various countries in their
perception of the Heineken brand.
Personality
Evaluation of the research has
meanwhile been completed and the
findings are currently being analysed.
The ultimate aim is to formulate a
definition of the Heineken personal
ity.
The results of the Plato Project did
oblc.inal quai,
timbre du
diplome d honneur
T II I O It I. I) O I II I I N I K I N
