HEINEKEN to leverage global scale by consolidating media buying for its brands

30 november 2011 Amsterdam - 30 November - HEINEKEN announced today that it is to consolidate media planning and buying for its brands worldwide into one media agency.  Two agencies, Publicis' Starcom MediaVest and WPP's MindShare, have been shortlisted.   The selected agency will be tasked with maximizing the effectiveness of the company's world-class brand building and fully utilizing the company's increased buying power.   HEINEKEN plans to have the new agency in place by the middle of 2012. HEINEKEN already works with both agencies in the majority of its regions.  Both have the capability to provide a global service and have the scale to give HEINEKEN the improved performance the company is looking for in all its brands. The chosen agency, in first instance, will focus on HEINEKEN's top fifteen markets (1), which represent 85% of the company's media spend. Alexis Nasard, Chief Commercial Officer at HEINEKEN said: "HEINEKEN is the world's most international brewer.  We have the opportunity to leverage the benefits of our global scale to achieve efficiencies and quality improvements in our media buying."  He added:  "The ultimate goal is to improve our media performance through better strategy, planning and execution, while maintaining the absolute requirement for stand-out brand communication in all channels we choose to focus and operate in.'' The move to globalize media buying is in line with a number of other initiatives across several aspects of the company's business designed to leverage its global scale, including the appointment of a global advertising agency for the Heineken brand and the creation of the Global Business Services organization.                                                    -END- Note to editors: 1. HEINEKEN 's Top 15 markets: USA, Spain, UK, Russia, Italy, Poland, Mexico, France, Netherlands, Portugal, Ireland, Romania, Brazil, Finland and Nigeria. About Heineken HEINEKEN is one of the world's great brewers and is committed to growth and remaining independent. The brand that bears the founder's family name - Heineken - is available in almost every country on the globe and is the world's most valuable international premium beer brand. The Company's aim is to be a leading brewer in each of the markets in which it operates and to have the world's most valuable brand portfolio. The Company operates 140 breweries in more than 70 countries and sold 205 million hectolitres of beer on a 2010 pro-forma basis. Heineken is Europe's largest brewer and the world's third largest by volume. Heineken is committed to the responsible marketing and consumption of its more than 200 international premium, regional, local and specialty beers and ciders. These include Amstel, Birra Moretti, Cruzcampo, Dos Equis, Foster's, Kingfisher, Newcastle Brown Ale, Ochota, Primus, Sagres, Sol, Star, Strongbow, Tecate, Tiger and Zywiec. On a 2010 pro-forma basis, including FEMSA Cerveza, revenue totalled €17 billion and EBIT (beia) was €2.7 billion. The average number of people employed is more than 70,000. Heineken N.V. and Heineken Holding N.V. shares are listed on the Amsterdam stock exchange. Prices for the ordinary shares may be accessed on Bloomberg under the symbols HEIA NA and HEIO NA and on the Reuter Equities 2000 Service under HEIN.AS and HEIO.AS. Most recent information is available on Heineken's website: www.theHEINEKENcompany.com. Press enquiries: Marnie Kontovraki Heineken International Tel: + 31 (0) 20 52 39 355 Email:Marnie.Kontovraki@heineken.com Click here to open the press release: http://hugin.info/136188/R/1567577/487043.pdf This announcement is distributed by Thomson Reuters on behalf of Thomson Reuters clients. The owner of this announcement warrants that: (i) the releases contained herein are protected by copyright and other applicable laws; and (ii) they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein. Source: HEINEKEN International via Thomson Reuters ONE [HUG#1567577]