tailor-made tie-in and merchandising
items was produced in the same con
sistent style. Everything from coast
ers and premiums to outdoor bill
boards heralded the arrival of
Heineken Music Horizons.
The international feel was rein
forced by the Internet site, which
associated the brand with a modern,
innovative image. An extensive
media relations programme was also
conducted to announce the launch of
the event and to generate soft sell
publicity through different media.
Artist interviews were arranged for
print and radio, while invitations
were extended to beer industry trade
partners and local celebrities to rein
force good relations with trade mem
bers and people in the entertainment
business.
AMERICAN EXPRESS
The total communication strategy
also encompassed the help of other
companies, such as FM Select, the
official radio station. American
Express sent 100,000 direct mailers
to its cardholders for priority
booking. And HMV, the biggest
record store in town, held a special
in-store promotion for the event. All
these organisations share common
traits and interests with Heineken
and thus furthered Heineken's image
through association.
Thanks to the great effort
marketing the event and the excel
lent build-up given to the concert,
audience response was extremely
encouraging. Attendance for the
two-day event was nearly 100% and
there was high appreciation for the
audience survey with 2,000 returned
questionnaires. More than 80% of
the respondents agreed that it was a
unique, high quality international
music event and over 90% stated
that they enjoyed the concert very
much and would be interested in
future Heineken Music Horizon
events. Moreover, the delayed broad
cast programme arranged by leading
local television station, TVB, was
watched by around one million view
ers.
Heineken Music Horizons was a
dramatic success in reflecting and
reinforcing the contemporary and
dynamic premium image of the
brand and simultaneously streng
thened Heineken's association with
international music. The concept of
Heineken Music Horizons offers
great potential to dimensionalise
Heineken's core brand values, a beer
that is enterprising, enlivening and
eminent.
Following this year's overwhelm
ing success, Heineken Music
Horizons is sure to return in 1997
and sustain the imported Heineken
Beer's musical tradition in Hong
Kong.
Artists at the first Heineken Music Horizons
celebrate the successful musical cross-over.
Centre: Robert van Bergen of Heineken Hong
Kong.
from Australia. Other attractions
included a troupe of dancers, backing
musicians and an entire orchestra, all
brought together in a lavish event
that also utilised some of the best
production talents in the world.
SUBWAY POSTERS
Advertising agency and PR firms
worked to optimise the campaign's
impact in a multi-media, total com
munication strategy using media as
diverse as subway posters and bunt
ing to generate awareness, print ads
and radio commercials to encourage
ticket sales and a TV commercial to
build excitement as the event drew
near.
Meanwhile, promotions on and
off premise were targeted at core
Heineken drinkers and an array of
