The high profile account has just switched agencies for the fourth time in four years.
Yes, sales are down over 10% and, yes, this typically means time to move on from the current creative and brand strategists. Heineken’s revenue has been on the decline for several years, but from everything I’ve seen, heard or read, I’m not sure it is just as easy as pointing a finger at any agency involved. The pattern is quite telling.
Four different agencies. Four years. Is this true?
If I had four breakups with four different women in as many years, even I would look in the mirror and at least question, “Is it me?”
If I wrecked four different cars in four different accidents over four years, I don’t think I’d have time to re-evaluate my driving skills. I think the Texas Department of Transportation and their fine, stern, annoyed state troopers would beat me to it.
Apparently the shiny import has indeed looked in the mirror, but instead of seeing any internal problems, they just saw a beautiful, rich, handsome can staring right back at them. Heineken’s wrecks haven’t stopped them from driving as fast; but rather, they’ve just cut off all ties from their Driver’s Ed instructor and sent nasty complaint emails to their county tax assessor.
Perhaps it is this rationale that prevents them from seeing what so many American’s see…er, taste. Heineken has long established its place among the shelf as a social, elite, European, high-brow, country club brew. Its fans are loyal and often viewed as uninviting, which reflects (or is reflected in) their marketing. So when the recession hits and millions of red-blooded Americans lose their American manufacturing and factory jobs to overseas outsourcing and corporate partnerships, are they really surprised that these newly unemployed folks are choosing a different brand to drown their sorrows at the local pub? And those who aren’t directly hurt by the economy are using the topic as their go-to excuse for lack of spending on, say, expensive European beer…?
Heineken has a good audience. That audience fills up a big, wonderful room. A room with sparkly chandeliers, antique Italian furniture, broad balconies, and burly German maitre d’s. As for most of us, however, we cannot get into that room. I’m sure our invitations somehow got lost in the mail. Maybe next year, but as for today our parties are in our garages and out on our patios. We have our beer in ice chests and coolers packed with convenience store ice. Our seats are lawn chairs and tailgates. We originally invited just a few neighbors, but we’re glad the whole block showed up. And the funniest stories are told by these fellas from three different ad agencies…
Seriously, their product is good. The problem I see is in the mass appeal direction they’ve given their agencies. Just because agency A didn’t do it right, doesn’t always mean that agency B will. Their work is always great, but it’s only in applause when what they are looking for is sales.
I think a great approach for Heineken would be a geo-targeted approach and try a grass roots campaign. Sure, brand H is a mammoth of a brand and they’re so far beyond grass roots that it’s absurd. But wouldn’t that be fun? Wouldn’t that be unexpected? And wouldn’t that be….cost-effective? Oooh, there’s some jargon we all want to read.
Instead of a blanket campaign across the continent, I think it would benefit brand H to go out to particular markets. Maybe 20 and customize some ad campaigns particular to these regions. Houston, Texas, for example, is probably not a region where brand H is going to get a warm reception. Having seven billboards in a row on Westheimer will more than likely not affect the local Kroger. Houston is home to the livestock and rodeo show, for suds sake. Then, fine. Don’t go to Houston. Go to Phoenix. Go to Sarasota, FL. Go to Santa Barbara. Pass over the big metros and find their high-dollar suburbs. Or find the suburbs that aren’t getting the attention they deserve. I think it would be a folksy approach that would be a welcomed surprise and it may be the ignition needed to get some of these consumers to see a different side to brand H. Without committing to a full out national campaign, many of these efforts will go unnoticed in the larger metro areas. So even if a 6-month campaign fails in Santa Barbara, chances are that your current customers of LA and San Francisco will never know.
It’s out there and I know it’s absurd for a company as big and shiny as Heineken, but it’s an approach that has worked for smaller companies and consumers before. They are in a tough spot where they feel the need to address another audience and another style without ignoring or offending their current base. Take a number, right? When the recession fades and consumers are comfortable spending bigger bar tabs, Heineken will be surely be back on top regardless if they do anything. It’s the in between that will determine if brand H has headlines that read “…back on top” or “…still on top.” We just don’t know how long that will be and how many agencies will be marked out of their rolodex before the big toast.
- Lance LaRue, Advertising & Creative Manager at Americom Marketing Ad Agency 2010
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