Faurnd@thirsb
Staying relevant
Statements
Thirst DJ. The winning DJ is then given the chance to perform at
the main Thirst event. Very often this 'gig of their life' signals the
start of an international career. Thirst opens doors for talent.
Amsterdam, autumn 2004. Sponsorship managers Freek de Wette
and Linda Berkel look back at two years of Thirst and their
conclusion is that for young adults at this moment there isn't a
concept that is more fitted to Heineken than Thirst. A truly perfect
match. "Thirst is not a sponsored event," stresses Freek de Wette.
"Heineken developed Thirst in partnership with the world's top
DJs and Heineken is the owner of the concept."
Thirst is the result of the Beacon Project: a study of the social-
cultural backgrounds of young adults. The study was commissioned
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by Executive Board Chairman Thony Ruys, who wants to maintain
a firm link with this target group, also over the longer term.
"The question is: how do you stay relevant for young adults. And
the first thing you have to know is what drives them. We soon found
out that the entire dance movement was a world-wide scene,"
explains De Wette. The research also revealed that dance
enthusiasts have a strong urge to take control of things for
themselves and cancel out the power of the established music
industry. And they do all this under the motto 'we decide for
ourselves what's good and what isn't'.
Heineken realised that the dance scene offered tremendous
potential for bringing the brand to the attention of the target
