Consumer tastes for beer vary across the globe in markets that have strong brand preferences and are in diverse stages of development. Heineken must adapt its marketing strategy to meet the diverse array of preferences on a global scale while maintaining brand identity and building brand loyalty.
Heineken must maintain a consistent branding strategy with central control from headquarters and build brand equity by utilizing market research to design advertising specific to local markets. Advertising should not be limited to traditional media markets, but should include sponsorship of various public events including sporting events and concerts. Heineken must inspire international confidence while maintaining local appeal. Project Mosa and Project Comet are not inconsistent.
Project Mosa indentifies taste, premiumness, tradition, winning spirit, and friendship as the brand’s core brand values. Project Comet confirms that these are values that consumers hold and informs the company of how consumers define these preferences (Ex. -10) . Although Heineken has identified different regional conceptions of “ friendship expression” and consumers have outlined different definitions for standard and premium beers, consumers agree that beer drinkers can always count on Heineken (Ex. 5, 7, 9). This favors a marketing strategy revolving around the idea that Heineken can be the perfect premium beer for all occasions.
This strategy will be effective because Heineken can develop local advertising molding the Heineken image into the regional image of beer for any given location. Most surveyed markets agree that packaging is an indication of beer taste (Ex. 6). Heineken should keep packaging and branding consistent while varying advertising.
This consistent reminder of the Heineken brand will remind consumers of Heineken’s universal appeal, while acting as the official stamp of a quality beer. Heineken’s research shows that the global beer market is in different stages of development and the company has created different marketing objectives for each stage (Ex 1, 2). Because each of these stages poses its own challenges, this heightens the need for local advertising in order to meet these needs (Ex A). Heineken must market itself as a premium international beer with local appeal.
This can be achieved in a two part strategy. First, Heineken headquarters should be responsible for packaging and branding, ensuring that these mainstays of the Heineken image remain consistent. The company web site www. heineken. com should have a global homepage with links to country specific Heineken portals. Advertising should be tailored to local markets.
The media advertising campaign should depict Heineken’s use in relevant social and professional situations based on regional preferences. In Asia, where Heineken might be viewed as a symbol of success, commercials should be set in situations where people are successful. In the U. S, where Heineken is viewed as more social, it should be depicted in social situations such as holidays, sporting events, and vacation destinations.
Heineken can also show local relevance by sponsoring local events including, sporting events, concerts, and community interest events. This sponsorship will play a prominent role in developing local brand equity while drawing new consumers to the brand. This strategy is not without peril. Developing multiple advertising campaigns based on regional markets is costly and time intensive. This could be overcome by properly allocating costs across stages of development and ensuring that more resources are designated to capture markets in-between the takeoff and growing stages where they will realize the highest gains.
Heineken also risks missing the essence of the local market in its advertising and damaging its position in that market. This can be overcome by keeping the connection to the local market broader rather than narrower. Lastly, reinventing Heineken may have some damage on its reputation in its already declining home market. However, given Heineken’s engrained tradition in that market this effect is not likely to be detrimental.
