Igniting New Conversations in
BRAND BUILDING
Mexico
As recently as a year ago, Mexico's on-trend consumers were more likely to
kick-off a memorable night out by reaching for a glass of high-end whisky than
a premium beer. But with a wealth of upwardly-mobile consumers, and one of
the world's largest beer profit pools, the market offered clear potential for the
Heinekenbrand. Just one year after the launch of the brand, sales volumes have
doubled and awareness among target consumers in Mexico has exceeded even
the highest expectations.
V
ollowing the acquisition of
the beer unit of FEMSA by
JLi HEINEKEN two years ago,
the Heineken® brand was imported, so to
officially launch the brand, we recently set
up the complete process of brewing and
packaging Heineken® locally," explains
Franco Maria Maggi, Heineken® Brand
Director at Cuauhtémoc Moctezuma (CM),
HEINEKEN's operating company in Mexico.
"Thanks to the excellent work of our supply
chain colleagues, we managed to achieve
production in our high-tech brewery located
in Orizaba, Veracruz in just six months. I
believe that is the quickest ever set-up in the
history of HEINEKEN. Since the start, we've
consistently achieved outstanding brewing
quality scores. "We also produced the
innovative embossed bottle locally and the
tactile can, which won the Stellar Packaging
Award 2011 from the Mexican National
Packaging Association."
Selective Distribution
Distribution was, by comparison, a
relatively straightforward prospect. "As a
premium brand, it was never our intention
that Heineken® should be available
everywhere," says Franco. "For the launch,
we selected the country's three main
conurbations: Mexico City, Guadalajara
and Monterrey, and from a channel point
of view, focused on working with our
modern retail partners and up-market
entertainment venues, bars and clubs.
We also accessed a large majority of
OXXO premium convenience stores, the
largest chain of its kind in Mexico. From a
branding perspective, the challenge was
to change the attitude that beer can't be
anything other than mainstream. And of
course, mainstream also tends to result
in price sensitivity. Entering the market
with an international premium beer sold
at a price premium was something of a
novelty in Mexico. Our initial focus has
been affluent, internationally-minded
Mexican consumers. They have welcomed
Heineken®, and now that the brand is
firmly established among these trend
setters, we'll be building on that base over
the coming months."
Desirable Product and Attitude
According to Franco, one of Cuauhtémoc
Moctezuma's biggest assets is that
customers really want to work with
them. "We have a very professional way
of dealing with customers. We are able to
20 World of HEINEKEN Quarter 2 2012
