Brand and Heineken
I. INTRODUCTION
The Heineken Brewery was founded in Amsterdam in 1863 by Gerard Adriaan Heineken. The strain of yeast which continued through the 1990s to give Heineken beer its special taste was developed in 1886. Heineken beer won a gold medal at the 1889 Paris World’s Fair, and, by 1893, was one of the largest selling beers in the Netherlands. In 1937, Heineken granted its first license to a foreign brewer to produce Heineken beer according to the original formula. While licensing agreements also aimed to specify how the Heineken brand should be marketed, Heineken could not influence how a licensee marketed its own brands. At the end of 1993, Heineken, being the market leader in Netherlands, was viewed as a mainstream brand. Outside the Netherlands, however, Heineken had consistently been marketed as a premium brand. Sales volume was declining and the brand image needed some revitalization. In January 1994, senior managers at Heineken headquarters in Amsterdam were reviewing two research projects --- Project Comet and Project Mosa --- commissioned to clarify Heineken’s brand identity and the implications for television advertising. Heineken’s senior managers were interested in assessing whether or not the conclusions of the two studies were mutually consistent. They also wished to determine how far they should or could standardize Heineken’s brand image and advertising worldwide.
II. VISION
To be the world’s leading premium beer III. MISSION
Heineken is a symbol of premiumness, taste, and tradition around the world. Unlike the other beer brands, Heineken’s roots, flavor, and commitment to and pride in brewing a high quality lager, makes up for its good taste that brings together friends with a winning spirit. No other brand in the world could claim superior good taste with as much credibility as Heineken.
IV. MARKETING PLAN
A. DEMAND / SUPPLY ANALYSIS
By the 1980s, Heineken was seeking majority equity stakes in its existing and
The Heineken Brewery was founded in Amsterdam in 1863 by Gerard Adriaan Heineken. The strain of yeast which continued through the 1990s to give Heineken beer its special taste was developed in 1886. Heineken beer won a gold medal at the 1889 Paris World’s Fair, and, by 1893, was one of the largest selling beers in the Netherlands. In 1937, Heineken granted its first license to a foreign brewer to produce Heineken beer according to the original formula. While licensing agreements also aimed to specify how the Heineken brand should be marketed, Heineken could not influence how a licensee marketed its own brands. At the end of 1993, Heineken, being the market leader in Netherlands, was viewed as a mainstream brand. Outside the Netherlands, however, Heineken had consistently been marketed as a premium brand. Sales volume was declining and the brand image needed some revitalization. In January 1994, senior managers at Heineken headquarters in Amsterdam were reviewing two research projects --- Project Comet and Project Mosa --- commissioned to clarify Heineken’s brand identity and the implications for television advertising. Heineken’s senior managers were interested in assessing whether or not the conclusions of the two studies were mutually consistent. They also wished to determine how far they should or could standardize Heineken’s brand image and advertising worldwide.
II. VISION
To be the world’s leading premium beer III. MISSION
Heineken is a symbol of premiumness, taste, and tradition around the world. Unlike the other beer brands, Heineken’s roots, flavor, and commitment to and pride in brewing a high quality lager, makes up for its good taste that brings together friends with a winning spirit. No other brand in the world could claim superior good taste with as much credibility as Heineken.
IV. MARKETING PLAN
A. DEMAND / SUPPLY ANALYSIS
By the 1980s, Heineken was seeking majority equity stakes in its existing and