Heineken Q1 2020 – preview

On Wednesday, Heineken will announce its volumes performance from the first three months of 2020. This time last year, the brewer posted a 4% volumes lift for the first quarter of 2019, the same rate of increase as in Q1 2018. Here’s a look at the news that is likely to have shaped the company’s performance in the quarter.

• The return of ‘Dry January’ saw Heineken start the quarter with a US push for Heineken 0.0. The activation, titled ‘Start Dry January with a Cold One’, was designed to capitalise on “the trend of adults abstaining or reducing alcohol consumption, which we see as an opportunity to boost business in on-premise outlets during one of the slower months of the year”
• The alcohol-free brand extension was also lined up at the start of a year for a major promotion, linked to the planned release in April of the latest James Bond film, No Time To Die. A TV ad was unveiled in mid-January that was to run in around 75 markets
• At the end of January, the company also prepared limited edition James Bond packaging and promotions for its namesake beer as well as Heineken 0.0. However, the coronavirus pandemic – more on that later – has resulted in the release of the film to be put back until November
• The top headline for Heineken in Q1 landed in mid-February when CEO Jean-François van Boxmeer announced his intention to step down later this year. Van Boxmeer will bring the curtain down on his 15-year tenure at the helm on 1 June, with Asia-Pacific president Dolf van den Brink lined up to replace him

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