Nightlife
The liberalisation of the market
economy has also had consequences
for social life in Southern China. Five
years ago the streets of a city like
Shanghai were deserted by 10 o'clock
at night. Today, thousands of Chinese
stroll through Shanghai's city centre
streets in the evenings. There is a
lively nightlife, with restaurants, dis
cotheques, karaoke bars and, since
recently, the traditional pubs as the
very latest trend. Chinese with a filled
wallet - and there are increasingly
more of them - are eagerly seeking
entertainment. Having got to know
the lifestyles of the Hong Kong
Chinese and the Western style of
living, they want to enjoy these new
experiences to the full.
And they certainly do! For in
stance in discotheques like JJ's. This
famous disco has establishments in
Shanghai, Guangzhou and has recent
ly also opened in Beijing. Covering an
estimated floor surface of half a foot
ball field, JJ's in Guangzhou is the
biggest disco in South East Asia. The
discotheque is tremendously popular
amongst the young generation of
Chinese and thousands of young
people dance night after night to the
fast-paced beat of house music. JJ's is
one of Heineken's most important
outlets both in Shanghai and
Guangzhou.
Close to the market
For many years Heineken Export
has been keeping a close watch on
developments in China. In 1991
developments in Southern China in
particular were such that the regional
management of Heineken Export
decided that the opportunities for
Heineken Beer ought to be better
exploited than previously.
Heineken Beer had in fact been
Rapidly modernising Shanghai is expand
ing to become one of the Far East's major
seaports.
Nightlife is developing fast. Shows in some
clubs are on a par with those in the West.
available on a small scale in China for
many years, chiefly in the internation
al hotels. The beer was sold to a state-
owned purchasing organisation via an
agent in Hong Kong.
The principle chosen involved
working as closely as possible to the
market and in mid-1992 Heineken
Hong Kong became operational.
Working from his base in Hong Kong,
Eric Nelissen was given the assign
ment of providing marketing support
for both the domestic market as well
as Taiwan and mainland China and
was asked to treat China as an emerg
ing market.
But the strong growth of Heineken
Beer in this region surprised even the
Heineken management. Since all
three markets developed at tremen
dous speed, an expansion of the per
sonnel resources became absolutely
essential. Heineken Export manager
Maarten Kruijtzer now works in
Taiwan, whilst the Hong Kong office
was strengthened by the addition of
Kobert van Bergen. Eric Nelissen now
concentrates on what is potentially
the biggest market: China.
For Van Bergen and Kruijtzer the
most important tasks are to support
the agents with marketing initiatives
aimed at achieving volume growth
and maintaining the brand image of
Heineken in their own markets.
A good Heineken brand image in
Hong Kong and Taiwan has a very big
influence on the future of Heineken
in China. For the mainland Chinese,
