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Heineken: Stay a Local Global Brand by Facilitating, Not Dictating

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Heineken is called ‘The Chairman’ in Nigeria. So, we give that flexibility to Nigeria to call it ‘The Chairman’, but we do not need to create a global campaign saying the ‘Chairman’ from Amsterdam. . . . We give that flexibility. That’s how we operate. Have a central idea, but give local flexibility to the markets.’” – Obabiyi Fagade

As a global beer brand, Heineken promotes a spirit of open-mindedness, framing its drinkers as global citizens who respect other cultures while still reveling in the comforts of their own. In this episode of Branding Over Wine, Obabiyi Fagade, commercial development manager of global brands at Heineken, shares how the iconic Dutch beer brand cultivates this flexible yet consistent brand identity in 190 different countries all over the world. 

Here, Obabiyi reveals that Heineken’s identity in Northern Europe is actually quite different from its identity in Nigeria, which are both quite different from the one in the US. Rather than view this as inconsistency within the brand, Heineken embraces it as a reflection of its open-minded, progressive nature. So, for Heineken’s 150th anniversary, they ran a campaign celebrating its shifting identity in different eras and regions. 

Ultimately, the local diversity within the brand still points to its established—and beloved—global identity. Listen in for universal insights on the power of local cultures to diversify and grow global brands here.

Heineken: Stay a Local Global Brand by Facilitating, Not Dictating

State of the Brand

Experts reflect on the state of the branding industry in their particular region, highlighting fundamental rights and wrongs, along with possible solutions. Each edition tackles a different part of the world.

The Roundtable

The Roundtable gives global branding leaders the opportunity to discuss key issues and trends in depth.

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Don't Panic!

Don’t Panic! is a monthly 1:1 interview series with a fearless leader to discuss the key growth challenges of their brand – and how they’ve tackled them head on.

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Branding over Wine

Each month we’re inviting one international marketer or brand manager we admire for a candid conversation about how to grow viable brands and businesses. Let’s see what worked and, just as important, what didn’t work for these amazing practitioners by addressing the hurdles of global marketing management.

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Heineken: Stay a Local Global Brand by Facilitating, Not Dictating

Obabiyi Fagade

In this Branding over Wine podcast episode, Obabiyi Fagade, commercial development manager of global brands at Heineken, explains the importance of embracing the local while remaining open to global influences. In Africa’s emerging markets, for example, marketers have the opportunity to elevate local cultures in their brands, but they must be open to change and outside influences to do so.

Business-to-Human: Keeping People at the Heart of Tech Branding

Jim Misener

In this Branding over Wine podcast episode, Jim Misener, president at the agency 50,000feet, explores the crucial role of branding in the world of tech. He breaks down how the stories, values, and aesthetics of brands help people connect with and understand the technology that shapes their lives.

Listen to the podcast on your favorite platforms

Franchising Creativity with McDonald’s Global CCO @ DDB

Luis Miguel Messianu

McDonald’s Global CCO @ DDB, part of CMC’s Advertising Hall of Fame, discusses his experience with building an efficient infrastructure of sharing creative ideas globally in the DDB network.

Listen to the podcast on your favorite platforms

How to Build a Meaningful Power Brand

Kris Michiels

Listen to Unilever’s brand, marketing, and communication director, Kris Michiels, on how strong brands are created. As he rightly mentions, the essence of our job as brand leaders and marketeers is strengthening brands from the core – and, in this episode, he suggests how.

Why Don’t Brands Grow According to Plan? – Research Insights

Prof. Jenni Romaniuk

World-renowned research professor Jenni Romaniuk of Ehrenberg-Bass underlines why growth doesn’t always match the plan and what areas to focus on when following brand growth: the customer base, non-buyers, availability, and category entry points.

Why Are Scandinavian Brands so Successful?

Digge Zetterberg

Digge Zetterberg, Frontify’s head of communications, talks about what makes Scandinavian brands so successful – from the relationship between brands and societal values to democratizing products, and everything in between.

What Is Foresight and What Is Its Function for the Brand?

Joanna Lepore

Mars Wrigley’s Joanna Lepore peeks into the future through foresight – a careful combination of creativity and science, that mixes strategy, marketing, and insights – to imagine relevant and objective outlooks for her organization.

Why Brands Need Long-Term Commitment to Building Credibility

David Aaker

The famous David Aaker reflects on disruptive innovation and the imperative of building brand credibility. From the evolved equity model to brand stories – an insightful guide for modern brand building.

How to Data-Drive Your Way to Customers’ Hearts

Neil Hoyne

Google’s chief measurement strategist, Neil Hoyne, brings clarity to how data and marketing come together; what and how to measure; moving beyond a single transaction; embracing human nature; and more. Concrete examples and spot-on metaphors outline a solid course of action for marketers everywhere.

How to Increase Market Share – The Case of Decommoditizing the Potato

Ingeborg Blaauw

Ingeborg Blaauw, Aviko’s intl. marketing manager, explains how the brand surpassed $1Billion by adding more value to the most generic of products – the potato. A case study on over a decade of outstanding marketing work.

Can Brands Grow Through Loyalty? What Does the Research Say?

Prof. Rachel Kennedy, Ehrenberg-Bass Institute

Prof. Rachel Kennedy, founder and director of the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute for Marketing Science – the world’s largest center for research into marketing – explains evidence-based marketing; why advertising matters; how brands really grow; predictability of competition; and two important marketing laws.

What Is the Role of Marketing and Branding Within Organizations?

Theo van Uffelen, Yakult

Theo van Uffelen, seasoned marketer (Unilever, Coca-Cola) and European marketing manager at Yakult, talks about purpose; the role of marketing and branding in organizational cultures; how marketing and marketers have changed over the years; and how to build a high-performance (marketing) culture.

What Are the Value Drivers of Digital Business Models?

Dr. Erich Joachimsthaler, Vivaldi

Dr. Erich Joachimsthaler, founder and CEO of Vivaldi and award-winning author, explains why the creation of value has shifted towards the consumer side and how digital business models can help brands transition to an interactional relationship with consumers, all with eye-opening examples.

Why Are Distinctive Brand Assets More Important in Mature Markets?

Prof. dr. Koen Pauwels, Northeastern University

Prof. dr. Koen Pauwels, Distinguished Professor of Marketing at Northeastern University, talks about how mature and emerging markets imply different levels of importance for a brand’s assets; what and when to measure; and much more – all through the lens of his impressive studies and work experience.

Masterclasses

We've invited experts from around the world to tackle important subjects for any brand leader. We question if purpose really is for every brand, think of ways to get closer to your consumers through data-driven personas and micro-actions, discuss how sonic branding can help your impact and memorability, and more.

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How Coca-Cola Moves at the Speed of Culture

Is it possible to anticipate changes in culture when it moves at such a rapid pace? This may be the wrong question to ask. Instead of trying to keep pace with culture, why not try to create it? Brand professionals can then seek innovative avenues—whether in the metaverse, Web3, or elsewhere—for the new things they wish to build.

Upgrade Your Creative Development with Neuromarketing

Neuromarketing, which measures neural and physiological responses to certain stimuli, offers incredible insight into customer motivations, preferences, and decisions. It can empower creatives, reward strategists, and most importantly, satisfy customer needs on a profound level.

Make It About Micro-Actions, Not Big Gestures

Hollywood promotes love and big gestures as if the latter leads to the former. But just as love needs to be proven through everyday actions, and not just the occasional big gesture, so should brands try to keep the spark alive with their consumers and fans. Easier said than done, right? Let’s see what the experts have to say.

Purpose – It’s Not for Everyone

Should you invest in a really creative purpose or should your purpose simply be to offer the best products and services? Find out from Philips, Purpose, cg42, and Glocalities when a purposeful strategy impacts your brand equity for the better – and when it doesn’t.

The Art and Science of Sound for Your Brand

What are the brand imperative, practical execution, and market validation of a strategic sonic branding project? Join us for an open discussion between a professor, a brand expert, an agency leader, and a market researcher on both the quantifiable and qualifiable science behind a coherent sonic brand. 

How to Win Pitches and Inspire Projects with Data-Driven Personas

Using personas as target audience descriptors helps inspire clients, creatives, and internal marketing stakeholders, but if you want to win pitches or get marketing projects approved, inspiration is no longer enough. Clients and managers demand more and more that target audiences be based on facts and figures – and rightfully so.

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