In 1873 a great Dutch brand was born. Hundred and forty six years later, the brand is keeping on, available on the shelves of many outlets across the Globe. That is Heineken. Heineken is known for its signature green bottle/tin and a red star. Heineken is an international brand having being sold in more than 170 countries and incorporated with numerous beer brands all over the world, the latest in Africa been the opening of a brewery in Mozambique on the 13th March 2019.
HEINEKEN’S UNIQUE VALUE PROPOSITION
Bringing people closer to each other and sharing their life moments is Heineken’s unique selling point, with their famous tagline, “Open your World”. Heineken is inspired by its consumers to brew the best beer.
The brand
HOW IS THE BRAND DIFFERENT
Heineken is “FRESH AND ELEGANT”. Heineken is CLASS, it is a brand of “STATUS”. Its advertising ideas have made it a brand of choice for elites. Its high pricing strategies and sponsorship strategies have also helped in the establishment of this “elegant” brand. Heineken follows differentiated marketing from its packaging to its Integrated Marketing Communication strategies.
It is different from competition. Heineken has always maintained its image, that is the “grass green tone and the natural casual feeling”. It has positioned itself as a high-end beer in the consumer’s lifestyle targeting middle and high income groups.
HOW HEINEKEN USES DIGITAL AND SOCIAL MEDIA
Heineken is very active and visible in the world of digital and social media. There are a number of campaigns Heineken have being running in the digital space. In fact Heineken became one of the most well-known brand through its creative marketing campaigns that resonates well with its customers, i.e. through different campaigns such as;
- The Insider: This is one amusing famous Ad from Heineken. In the advert, a young man hijacks a tour guide’s authority and takes them on an unforgettable journey, an experience that radically changes their trip. Those include naturally a masquerade hidden in crypts beneath the city with guests wearing plague Doctor’s masks. They ended up getting in to a hidden party down the city where everybody is.
- Know the Signs Campaign; Heineken executed its Corporate Social Responsibility Strategy through this campaign. The campaign aimed to prove comprehensive information about the upsides and downsides of drinking too much.
- Share the Sofa Campaign: The brand created the Share the Sofa Campaign to give its customers the opportunity to interact with the world star players. Research shows that this campaigned was talked about in 94 countries and generated more than 1 billion media impressions, reaching over 13 million Twitter handlers in each tweet.
Heineken communicates its market position and its purpose of existence through SPONSORSHIP. Heineken sponsors major sporting activities like UEFA Champion League and Rugby World Cup. All these campaign sponsorship reach almost everyone targeted.
YOUTUBE
Back then in the years TV was the only new visual media used. The 30 seconds rule controlled the world. The introduction of YouTube somehow liberalized most of the brands, including Heineken. The brand introduced a variety of videos to be broadcast through the platform.
This is Heineken’s most popular social media platform with over 20 million people subscribed to their timeline. Heineken’s active participation on Facebook has seen the customer’s loyalty to the brand. The brand resonates very well with its larger community due to their instant and activate involvement on Facebook. Heineken has created its Facebook pages in a way that it target its audience geographically. The message is designed in a way that it reaches different target groups at different locations.
The brand (Heineken) runs multiple accounts targeting customers at different locations as well. Its main group account is @Heineken
This is one account which Heineken use to capture its great moments and share with customers. It communicates its journey through this platform with its catchy snapshots.
Heineken also is very active on this platform, publishing something almost everyday to connect with its customer. Heineken has over 60 000 followers. The brand mostly communicates opportunities available for its audience through their page, mostly being job vacancies.
In conclusion, I am quite comfortable in saying that HEINEKEN’s digital and social media presence is very visible and effective. The messaging is even always clear and consistent. All the digital and social media platforms communicate one cohesive message#openyourworld.
Sandy Mosarwa: Unpacking the unimaginable 