.S.A. is a mecca for
every marketeer"
Vice-President Marketing on world's biggest beer market:
Advertising, sponsorships, promotions. Van
Munching Co. uses every means to boost the
brand strength of Heineken, Amstel Light,
Murphy's Irish Stout and Buckler. Chris Vuyk, who
had "worked for many years at Heineken head of
fice in Amsterdam, departed last September for
the U.S. to take charge of the marketing discipline
within VMCO.
I have worked for Heineken in
many countries but I've never yet
seen a market where Heineken's
strength is as great as here. For a
marketeer the United States is a
mecca", says Chris Vuyk in his Sixth
Avenue office, right above the famed
Radio City Music Hall.
A while later he corrects part of
his statement. For America cannot
and must not be seen as one single
market. Consumption patterns for
beer vary widely in the U.S., even dis
regarding the fact that legislation may
differ from one state to the next. "If
you devise a promotion for one state,
you always have to ask yourself
whether that same promotion is also
possible in the neighboring state."
The beer market in the northern
states is somewhat similar to that in
Northern Europe (relatively few sea
sonal influences), but America's
southern states greatly resemble the
beer market in Southern Europe
(strong seasonal influences and a
major focus on the on premise trade).
Apart from the climate, the heritage
of the population also has a bearing
on beer consumption. The main pop
ulation groups in the northern states
are descendants of German and Irish
extraction. These consumers do not
deny their roots; their consumption
patterns show a great similarity with
those in Northern Europe.
Eve
Chris Vuyk feels that, given the
major shifts in demographics, the
American brewing industry is on the
eve of a new era. At the moment 75%
of the population is white, 12%
African American, and 9% Hispanic.
By the year 2040 the 'minorities' will
be in the majority, which will bring
about a cultural sea-change. Even
today Spanish-language television
stations are widely active and Spanish
newspapers and magazines are avail
able from street-corner vendors.
Local breweries are already
adapting their commercials to reflect
Hispanic preferences. As Chris Vuyk
makes clear, Heineken should step up
its efforts in this area. Market
research data show the need for this.
Heineken is not only consumed by the
white population. Amongst African
Americans there is a high acceptance,
whilst an increasing number of
Hispanics regularly drink a Heineken
beer.
Taken together, Heineken prod
ucts have a share of 1.5% of the total
U.S. market. In Manhattan, however,
Heineken is the number two beer
brand! That strong position is chiefly
attributable to the prestige of
Manhattan's downtown business cen
ter but is certainly also due to the
strong position that Heineken Beer
holds in Harlem, the famous district
of Manhattan, with very many African
American residents.
The exact communications strate
gy needed to address the cultural
changes in the U.S.A. still has to be
fleshed out in detail, but the process
is already under way in sub-areas.
One example: a table tent for the on
premise trade in six different lan
guages. Where events for specific
population groups are concerned, Van
Munching also plays an active role in
THE WORLD OF HEINEKEN
