Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/118688
Heineken's new bottle design—star of the convention. The company's eyes are firmly fixed on the U.S. market and it won't rest until it controls more than its current share of the import category here. "Beer grew through the mid-'90s , then lost share until last year. Fifteen years we gain, fifteen years we lose. But last year was the beginning of a new 'gain' era. Beer is back," said Dolf van den Brink, President and CEO, HEINEKEN USA. Van den Brink is right. According to Nielsen, beer and other malt beverages grew two percent, reversing a 0.8 percent slide in 2011. Heineken was no exception. U.S. sales were up in 2012, and a lot healthier than in previous years. So, now that Heineken Lager is "back in the black" for the first time in five years, how does it plan to push the needle further in 2013, encourage licensees to work more closely with its brands and increase sales overall? To that end, here's what we found out: Heineken – Rising Star Once Again Make no mistake—Heineken is taking the U.S. market more seriously than ever in 2013, and every effort to increase sales will be planned and executed with precision. For this reason, the marketing gurus behind the brand are monitoring reaction to the new, more uniform Star Bottle, and measuring its introduction to the United States. The response? Excellent, so far. New York marked the first city to receive the new Star Bottle, and sales there increased over four percent that quarter. Coincidence? The Heineken team thinks not. "2012 transformed us. In 2013 we plan to pick up the pace," said Scott Blazek, Senior Vice President, Sales, HEINEKEN USA. Expect marketing support in the form of merchandising, Scott Blazek, Senior Vice President, Sales, HEINEKEN USA. april 2013 / the tasting panel / 103