Beer importer Heineken USA has moved all promotional responsibilities for its Dutch and Mexican beer portfolios to WPP agency G2 Worldwide and Dieste Harmel & partners, respectively.
The decisions, made late last week and effective immediately, come after a review by the company of its promo accounts, one that led Heineken to consolidate the below-the-line marketing activities for its portfolio. In recent years, those responsibilities had been divided among Ryan Partnership, The Vidal Partnership and Alcone Marketing Group.
Heineken USA’s Dutch beer portfolio includes the Heineken, Heineken Premium Light, Amstel Light and Bucker brands. The company’s Mexican line includes Tecate, Tecate Light, Dos Equis Lager, Ambar, Sol, Bohemia and Carta Blanca.
Dieste will work to integrate retail promotions for the Heineken Mexican labels with New York ad agency Adrenalina, named last November as lead agency for the Tecate brands.
G2, which currently works with Heineken in a number of global markets, will take over general market English-language promotions for both the Heineken Dutch and Mexican portfolios. The Vidal Partnership will remain the Spanish-language ad agency of record for the Heineken Brand Equity line and will work in partnership with Dieste on promotions.
No timetable was specified for the first promotions from these new lead activation agencies. But Heineken could field something from Dieste sooner rather than later. Adrenalina has been rolling out new Spanish-language ads in the U.S. for Cerveza Tecate since March and in late June unveiled the first dual-language TV campaign for Tecate Light.
“The Heineken USA brand portfolio has tremendous equity with Hispanic consumers,” Dieste President and Chief Creative Officer Aldo Quevedo said in a statement.
He added that the assignment “will allow us to create the most relevant, innovative engaging and lifestyle-focused brand experience for Hispanic consumers.”
“Heineken USA really understands the potential for innovation in brand marketing across multiple channels,” G2 Chairman and CEO Joe Celia said in a statement.
Steve Ward, vice president of strategy and channel activation and sales for Heineken USA, said in a statement that the company’s evolution into a portfolio of brands and increasing competition in the beer sector made it important to consolidate promo operations to reach and engage consumers more effectively.
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