MEDIA RELATIONS /
/ Excellence Winners
Heineken Premium Light Launch
Heineken Premium Light Team
Manning, Selvage & Lee (MS&L)
NewYork City, U.S.
NEED/OPPORTUNITY / In 2005, the beer industry lost almost a full share point of the alcohol beverage volume, continuing a downward trend of more than three lost share points since 2001.
Whether considering volume or dollars, the key challenge to u.s. beer business remained lack of growth, especially while spirits and wine were gaining share. Between 1995 and
2005, beer shipments grew 9 percent, compared to liquor volume, which expanded 25 percent, and wine shipments, which jumped a striking 40 percent. As beer lagged, wine and spirits grabbed more and more share of alcohol beverage volume.
Despite industry challenges, Heineken USA (HUSA), the nation's number one beer importer, saw a huge opportunity to create a new category within the sluggish beer industry. With the introduction of Heineken Premium Light (HPL), domestic light beer drinkers could "socialize without sacrifice" with a beer that imbued the confidence of a discerning premium brand choice without sacrificing taste or image. Along with such a large opportunity came a big creative hurdle: Overcome consumer perception that core
Heineken has a bitter or rich tasting lager flavor. Another obstacle involved Amstel Light, another HUSA brand that pioneered the premium import light category in 1982 and is also a part of the Luxury Light category. Amstel Light needed to be re-positioned to avoid confusion among the target audiences and potential cannibalization by HPL.
INTENDED AUDIENCE /
Consumers: The primary target was males aged 21 to 29 who drink domestic light beer.
Trade: key distributors in HUS~s four regional markets.
On-premise: top bar/restaurant accounts in target cities.
Off-premise: major retail accounts.
Influencers: top tastemakers in the target markets who could act as evangelists for the brand.
Media: beer trade, national business, entertainment, gossip, advertising/marketing, men's magazines, general consumer, and local media in 10 regional "event" markets.
Online/Bloggers: the most effective, respected bloggers in the beer universe.
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES I
Orchestrate the successful launch of HPL.
Generate major national and local buzz/media coverage for HPL.
Sell 5.2 million cases between March and December 2006.
SOLUTION OVERVIEWI

Find new ways to connect: Supplement traditional print and broadcast media outreach with tailored communication and product sampling to key blogs and influencers to drive trial and word-of-mouth.
Create a thirst for what's new: Create media curiosity and anticipation around HPL with pre-launch samplings and in-depth briefings on the product, the positioning and the
Luxury Light category.
Create a category: Develop and dominate the new "Luxury Light" category with a bookend strategy to introduce HPL and support are-positioned Amstel Light, so that the two brands do not directly compete with each other.
Owning the moment: Create a memorable intersection between HPL and people's lives with special and unique experiences.
Initiate trial: Give target consumers a reason to try HPL where pre-conceived notions of bitterness exist, without disparaging Heineken Lager.
IMPLEMENTATION AND CHALLENGES I
BUDGET
US$1.3 million
PRE-LAUNCH
NY Times exclusive: The team arranged for an exclusive on the HPL launch to run in
Stuart Elliott's marketing column just prior to the 1 March launch, which was then cited on CNN and key blogs.
LAUNCH
Criss Angel event: To dramatize HPL's "specialness," the team created a unique event with master illusionist Criss Angel in Times Square. With a jaw-dropping illusion in front of hundreds of fans and key media, Criss literally broke away from ordinary light beer and "traded up" to the smooth and premium experience ofHPL. B-roll and photos were picked up nationwide. The event was also featured on Criss' 5 July Mindfreak show.
NewYork City launch event: A few hours after the Criss Angel illusion, the team fueled consumer buzz with a star-studded event at the Time Warner Center to introduce HPL to
1,000 influencers, distributors and national/local media.
Strategic media blitz: The team systematically targeted key media to ensure coverage through a Beer Trade event at HUSA headquarters, a business media tour with CEO Andy
Thomas, men's long-lead magazine briefings, and a high-end mailer to the top 100 print media outlets.
Beer blogs: Heineken had never proactively reached out to this important audience. The team identified the top bloggers, created a high-end HPL mailer/sample and arranged briefings.
POST-LAUNCH
Regional events: MS&L spearheaded 10 high-end events in key cities during March to introduce HPL to consumers nationwide in a unique, unexpected way, utilizing A-list celebrities, music and tastemakers.

The markets were chosen based on where the target audience was most concentrated
(New York City, Miami, Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, etc.). Each of the venues, such as the Versace Mansion in Miami, complemented HPLS premium standing, and each event featured celebrity VIPs and other influencers who resonated with the target audience.
In-demand DJs spun the hottest music, and models, dressed as fashionable flight attendants, were on hand to serve ice-cold HPLS and upscale hors d' oeuvres to the local glitterati.
MEASUREMENT/EVALUATION /
OBJECTIVES
Orchestrate the successful launch of HPL.
RESULTS
PR played a leading role in executing a highly integrated marketing campaign to successfully introduce HPL nationwide.
"MS&L did a phenomenal job with the launch, developing and managing exclusive events in many different cities as part of the March 1 rollout," said Tamara Moore, Heineken
USA director, corporate communications.
OBJECTIVES
Generate major national and local buzz/media coverage for HPL.
Sell 5.2 million cases between March and December 2006.
RESULTS
Generated 104 million positive media impressions with 110 print and broadcast hits in national and local markets. Sample coverage:
Business: CNN, MSNBC, AI?, WSJ, NYT, FT and Dow Jones.
Trade: Beer Marketer's Insight, Beverage World and Bev Network.
Entertainment: The Insider, Jimmy Kimmel and Howard Stern.
Men's: Maxim.com, Stuff and Playboy.com.
Regional: FOX 5, Deco Drive, Boston Globe and Chicago Tribune.
Secured 240 blog hits and 61 Web placements.
Adweek.com, Realbeer.com, Gotbeer.com and Brian's Belly Blog.
As of 1 October 2006, HPL had already achieved its target goals.
HUSA is now forecasting sales of close to 8 million cases by year-end, making HPL the third largest import/specialty light brand in its first nine months.
"Heineken lager volume is up 11 percent so far this year, as the whitehot success ofHPL created the halo effect for which management hasbeen hoping." (Barron's, 18
September 2006)