MAJOR MARKETING
EFFORTS THIS YEAR FOR
HEINEKEN IN THE USA
Heineken USA plans to pull
out all the stops in its mar
keting efforts for the
Heineken brand in 1999.
The focus is on a new
advertising campaign, for
which a media spend of 42
million dollars has been
allocated: the biggest
investment ever made for
an imported beer brand in
the United States.
This year Heineken will also be spon
soring the movie Austin Powers The
Spy who shagged me, the sequel to
the first Austin Powers film, which
was tremendously popular in the
USA. The movies are a parody of the
James Bond films. Other major mar
keting activities comprise an exten
ded promotional campaign for the
Hispanic market, big-scale music
events and the continued sponsor
ship of the US Open tennis tourna
ment, plus all the related activities,
such as the Heineken Star Award and
various promotions.
OPPORTUNITY
Imported beers in the US are grow
ing, though the total beer market is
stable. And yet the share of imported
beers in the total market is no more
than ten per cent. Expectations are
that this share will climb to 20% ten
years from now. With that fact in
mind, Heineken USA has redoubled
its efforts for 1999. Describing the
plans, Michael Foley, President of
Heineken USA, says: "The opportuni
ty is there. The time is now. With an
increase occurring in the 21-to-29-
year-old male demographic and a
shift in brand preference to upscale,
higher quality imported beers, we
feel this investment is well-timed."
The new advertising campaign,
with the tagline 'It's all about beer',
is targeted at the twenty-somethings
age group. According to Steve Davis,
Vice President Marketing at
Heineken USA, the campaign has two
messages. "First and foremost it
makes Heineken the hero. Each of the
six spots is about people who really
love the brand but show it in differ
ent ways. This approach gives us
almost unlimited creative license to
position Heineken as the brand of
choice for everyone who loves beer."
