Even more important, it's the interaction of these media that's the
compelling feature of the media strategy. "The reasoning behind this is we
want to create integrated programs more and more. Like we do with the
UEFA Champions League, like we do with film, although we should do more
with film," Drenth accedes. While the film aspect of the company's
advertising and marketing strategy is less than music and sport, it looks
like that is going to change in the future, especially as the broadcast
market - TV and film - faces new challenges. "Media fragmentation and
TiVo, are becoming serious issues in the US and elsewhere. The business
model of the networks is beginning to collapse because the cost/value
relationship is becoming illogical. DirecTV and cable systems offer
consumers 600+ channels and the ability to skip through commercial pods,
while ratings decline and the cost of :30 commercials increase. Brand as
entertainment has emerged in the forefront. Brands helping to underwrite
productions so they can be a part of the content," explains an expert in this
field, Julie Mulholland (founder of Mulholland Drive Entertainment in Los
Angeles) - having been involved with Heineken's advertising in the US and
then moving onto a successful agency that secures branded entertainment
opportunities and celebrety talent for clients - has been instrumental in
building the platform of film and TV for the company. She helped the Global
Heineken Communication Team in Amsterdam to close the deals with Brad
Pitt, Jennifer Aniston as well as others. "Austin Powers, that was really the
tipping point, after that it all started coming together. This film was an
overnight success. What happened was 'Oh my god, Heineken is a cool, fun
and exciting brand that keeps surprising me and I like that. And the Matrix,
leveraging that equity in a cost-effective way. Heineken produced a
television commercial and used our media budget to help drive their box
office. In the end we won because we had the hottest property for men
21—34," she states with satisfaction.
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