World’s premium beer brand, Heineken has won a Medal of Gold as Outstanding Premium Lager Brand of the Decade. This decoration is courtesy respected Nigerian business magazine Marketing Edge.
Heineken is the only Nigerian beer brand so honoured, during an elite event in Lagos on Friday, August 27, 2021. Marketing Edge publisher John Ajayi says the award is ‘‘in recognition of the brand’s cumulative strategic initiatives over the years, alongside its unmatched consumer trend forecasting in the country.’’
The bulk of Heineken’s popularity stems from its unique blend of excellent ingredients that impart a distinct flavor, providing beer drinkers across the country with a premium experience. Beyond the sensory pleasure it delivers; it extends its impact on consumers’ lives through its groundbreaking initiatives.
Heineken asserts a claim to superiority, as evidenced by its campaigns in the last decade, from dominating the lifestyle sector by rebranding the annual Lagos Fashion Week. The fashion exhibition founded by Omoyemi Akerele showcases the best creatives in Nigeria’s fashion industry and has served as a conduit between local creators and international fashion brands, breathing life into their creative processes through mentoring and masterclasses. One of such initiatives has plunged Heineken into a household name in the fashion world.
The worldwide beer brand didn’t stop at the Lagos Fashion Week; it also signed a ten-year sponsorship deal with the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). As a matter of fact, the Heineken-UEFA relationship was birthed in 1994 and its presence in over 190 markets around the world, continues to imprint its impact on the football community.
Kindling the kindred spirit of football lovers in Nigeria, it launched the #NeverWatchingAlone campaign to encourage communal viewing of football matches. For the 2021 UEFA Champions League finals, it convened football lovers in Abuja, with special appearances from Nancy Isime, Uti Nwachukwu, and Samantha Walsh.
Likewise, its UEFA Champions League Trophy Tour, helps fans experience the trophy; touring over 35 cities across the world, including a recent tour to Lagos, Nigeria in April 2019.
Heineken’s topnotch business practices are not left out of its merit for the Beer of the Decade Award as guided by the Heineken Code of Business Conduct (Heicode), positioning it as an unrivaled consumer-focused brand, which at its core is driven by innovation, creativity, and connectivity.
Seeing Heineken initiatives are uniquely tailored to enrich consumers’ lifestyles and uplift values, Heineken’s partnership with the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) is one of its sustainability initiatives focused on increased water conservation, clean energy production, and local material sourcing, to benefit the immediate community of its operations. The campaign which commenced in 2015 in the Ibadan region of the Ogun-Oshun catchment area, has had a tremendous impact spanning thousands of homes, local businesses, and communities across the years.
The Heineken brand truly has a midas touch as it has become a symbol of excellence and community in all fields, including sports, fashion, entertainment, environmental sustainability and so much more.
Cheers to a decade of impact!
L-R: Aboyowa Ikpobe, Brand Manager, Heineken Lager Beer, Nigerian Breweries Plc; Dr. Ayo Teriba, MD/CEO, Economics Associate; Wasiu Abiola, Head Media, PR, Digital & Sponsorship, Nigerian Breweries Plc, at The Marketing Edge Awards Presentation For Heineken as Lager Brand of the Decade in Lagos last weekend
