According to Advertising Age, Heineken is moving out of their traditional short neck green bottles and into the draft beer market, by putting more marketing money into draft beer sold at bars and restaurants as it seeks to win over new customers and reverse slumping sales trends. The move will include print, billboard, and digital ads in order to target consumers that are sampling premium craft brews served from the tap. Roster agency Euro RSCG, part of Havas, is handling the effort.
“For years draft beer was more about inexpensive beers served in plastic pitchers. It was more about a volume play for consumers,” said Kheri Tillman, Heineken USA’s VP-trade marketing and sales strategy. “But through the influence and dramatic increase and availability and quality of craft beers, it’s really driven draft and made draft synonymous with quality.”
Today, roughly 30% of upscale beer brand sales are “on-premise,” such as bars and restaurants, according to Heineken USA. On-premise sales are about 20% of Heineken USA’s business, which includes brands such as Dos Equis, Tecate, and Amstel Light.
“Bartenders typically recommend those brands that are on draft,” said Tillman.
Heinekens draft effort was unveiled to distributors at a meeting in Las Vegas recently, as a part of the importer’s larger growth strategy. This year’s push will focus in part on the “celebration of beer,” which seems to tap into growing consumer interest in ingredients and craftsmanship, which also nods to the growing influence of craft beers.
