WINNING WITH CONSUMERS
The new 'This is beer'
website will provide
interesting facts about
beer, which are sure to
be conversation starters
tackle some of these misconceptions, and
make lager an option which is considered
suitable for a broader variety of drinking
occasions throughout the week."
The campaign will initially target a
number of perception areas. Educating
consumers about the natural ingredients
used to brew lager is one of the first
priorities. "There's a huge interest from
consumers in natural ingredients and
making food and drink choices that
complement a health-conscious lifestyle,"
explains Alison. "Consumers don't
necessarily have to be able to name the
ingredients, but they need to know that
lager is a natural product.
"We'll be using Heineken® packaging
and drip mats to communicate the clear
message that our lager is brewed using
three natural ingredients. As market
leader, even those consumers who
aren't a fan of the brand still respect and
trust the brand, therefore the message
has credibility."
Facts That Start Conversations
A number of the misconceptions
surrounding beer often simply stem
from a lack of available information. "If
consumers can't readily find information,
they're immediately suspicious that the
industry might be hiding it for a reason,"
explains Alison.
"To solve this and dispel many of the
myths, we've launched a website, www.
thisisbeer.ie, which provides interesting
facts about beer. For example, one
common misconception is that beer is a
high-calorie drink. The website provides
concrete independent evidence that
this clearly isn't the case!" The website
also provides snippets of information for
people with interests ranging from food
to the brewing process. The idea is that
these news clippings will stimulate people
to share them with friends.
An online solution was identified as
the best way to reach the target group,
however HEINEKEN will also be sharing
the information with the trade, as
customers also have a key role to play.
"In many cases, trade customers need
the information to be able to talk openly
and accurately about the category,"
comments Alison.
Word of Mouth
HEINEKEN's 400+ employees in Ireland
are also representative of the broader
consumer population when it comes to
their beer knowledge. They are being
encouraged to become ambassadors of
this positive message. Alison hopes that
these ambassadors will be able to trigger
a lot of conversations about the topic.
40 World of HEINEKEN Quarter 1 2012
