Who does the pitch,
how does it get
negotiated,
what's promised and
what's delivered?
Let's Make a Deal
THE WORLD OF HEINEKEN
gained from experience from making decisions and negotiating with major
studios. "In the last Bond, there were something like 25 brands, and it felt
like one long advertisement. If they don't change the way they currently do
it, they are going to lose the magic of the concept and attention of the
viewers," he reflects, "you have to use it in a subtle and natural way, by
giving less brands more relevance."
the industry, people take you seriously and you have to be willing to walk
away from the deals that aren't to your benefit. We've set the bar," says
Mulholland. "Nobody in this category has executed nearly to the level we
have," says Mulholland with a take-no-prisoners tone. "The integrity of our
work surpasses anybody out there."
So how does Heineken - or any brand for that matter - get involved with a
blockbuster film? Who does the pitch, how does it get negotiated, what's
promised and what's delivered?
"I go out a couple of times a year," says Povlo, "sit with all the major
studios; they present their major blockbuster films, they present films that
they think will be relevant for us and I compare that with the brand and
where we want to take the brand. The theme of the film, the stars of the
film and the assets we can use to develop a communication around the
film. I do that approximately twice a year and in the meantime we have an
agency, Norm Marshall Associates, that takes a look at projects that have
been green-lighted by the studio. Then I'll sit with the management team,
and together with a few of our key film activation markets, put some of the
proposals together and we'll come up with a recommendation that we go
back to the studio with. It's then a process of negotiating the details." The
details can incorporate all the elements discussed, who brings what to the
table and most importantly, what assets are offered to each other.
Heineken is privileged to have impressive assets to leverage in a deal:
deep-pocket media dollars to spend; a global brand that offers entry into
multiple markets through below-the-line promotions and its own brand
value, a bling comparable to what the iPod offers in imagery and
aspirational association. "Once you've established yourself as a player in
