Aguila Amstel
THE WORLD OF HEINEKEN
together with Kaliber, holding a share of more than half of this
segment, and Aguila and Cruzcampo the joint number one in the
mainstream segment. Heineken is the undisputed number one in
the premium segment in Spain. In 2000, Heineken sold 850,000 hi.
Brand manager Javier Bas expects a further 20% climb in sales in
2001 passing the magic milestone of one million hi. "The brand is
rapidly developing from a more sophisticated and elite image with
a stronghold in trendy consumption to a more open and broader
positioning, present on a wider scope of consumption occasions."
Over the past year the merger between El Aguila and Cruzcampo
has made a major contribution to the success of the Heineken
brand. Thanks to the merger new opportunities were created for
the Heineken brand based on the strong distribution that
Cruzcampo enjoyed in the southern part of the country. And that
was specifically the region where there were - and still are -
growth possibilities for Heineken.
Spanish consumers last year voted Heineken the most appreciated
beer brand and, according to Javier Bas, that performance is due
in part to consistent brand communication. Since 2001,
communication for the Heineken brand has been linked to music.
Heineken Espana is currently sponsoring major music events, such
as Spain's biggest pop-rock festival, the FIB Heineken Festival in
Benicassim, and the prominent festival of world music, La Mar de
Musicas in Cartagena. The Heineken name is also tied in with two
big jazz festivals, a special Heineken Music website has been set
up and a tour by an international band is being sponsored. "All
these activities, together with heavy communication in all media,
are helping to establish the right link between Heineken and
music."
The development of Aguila Amstel over the past few years would
be a good case study for many a marketeer. How to breathe new
life into a brand by working consistently on the four P's of the
