Tecate Light, commanding 70
per cent of the Mexican light-
beer market
Heineken® Premium Light
appeals uniquely to the
US consumer
and Mexico for the first time, resulting in
efficiency synergies."
The Heineken® brand is doing exceptionally
well throughout the region, with massive
growth of 85 per cent in Brazil last year.
HEINEKEN recently had extremely
successful relaunches of Kaiser in Brazil
and Sol in Mexico, following a brand
renewal of Carta Blanca in Mexico. Dos
Equis continues to grow in Mexico, and
has achieved double-digit growth in
the US, thanks to the long-running and
hugely successful 'Most Interesting Man'
campaign. Earlier this year .Advertising
Age magazine ran a cover feature on the
campaign that couldn't have been more
positive, describing it as a "success story
decades in the making".
"In terms of activation, Heineken®'s
sponsorship of the Rock in Rio festival
in Brazil last year jumps immediately to
mind," adds John. "The brand activation
was exceptional at the festival and the
press exposure could not have been
better. The Heineken® brand truly owned
this festival, and this was reflected
in sales numbers and in consumer
awareness measurements."
"Panama is a shining star - over the last
five years, we've increased our market
share from 14 per cent to over 30, mainly
due to our local brand, Panama. This
was the result of the right marketing,
investment in brewing facilities to match
growth, and a focus on the brand. We also
made a good decision not to follow our
competitors and change our bottle size."
Demonstrated by Heineken®'s launch
in Mexico, and its performance in Brazil,
there is obviously huge potential for the
brand in the region. It resonates with
Latin Americans, who appreciate its
football connection through the UEFA
Champions League, its heritage and its
global positioning. "We're confident that
this will provide us with an opportunity to
gain share with Heineken®," says John.
"However, we're being extremely selective
about where the brand is sold (particularly
in Mexico where it has just been launched),
as we'll be investing significantly to build
the brand for the foreseeable future."
In January this year, HEINEKEN increased
its shareholding of Haiti's leading brewer,
Brasserie Nationale d'Haiti S.A., from 22
per cent to 95. John not only sees this
as an opportunity for adding significant
value, but also somewhere where
HEINEKEN can add real value in terms
of sustainability initiatives, in an area
that is still recovering from the massive
earthquake of three years ago. "What
many people don't realise is that Haiti has
a population of around 10 million, and
offers significant potential," he says.
"Our plan is to upgrade a number of
facilities and ways of working, which will
result in significant gains in efficiency.
We need to simplify our product and
packaging offer, and really focus our
investment and energy where it will make
the biggest difference."
Gaining Share
"We've got great marketing in place, we're
focused, we've got great growth in the
Heineken® brand, so we've built plans
to gain share in every market this year,"
concludes John. "Above all, our annual
employee climate survey is very positive.
When you have positive employees,
they are driven to ensure the company
succeeds, they understand the actions to
take and feel empowered to do so.
"We have excellent partners in our many
joint ventures in the region, with very
strong management teams. Joint venture
partners are often involved in a broader
business in the country, which clearly
helps in understanding the market. We
can bring sector knowledge, strong beer
brands and processes to help develop this
business. Joint venture partnerships have
been a significant strength for HEINEKEN,
and are something that will form a key
part of our strategy." K
The Mexican portfolio
enjoys increasing
popularity in the US
Quarter 2 2012 World of HEINEKEN 17
