The change comes as Heineken reportedly prepares to rebalance its marketing spend in 2025 after spending millions to launch Heineken 0.0 and Heineken Silver. Plans include a new campaign for flagship Heineken, according to a Beer Marketer’s Insights report from Heineken USA’s distributor meeting last month. A spokesman for Heineken USA told Ad Age the CMO change was unrelated to the previously disclosed marketing strategy shift.
Cahill, who had served as Heineken USA CMO since February 2018, was behind the marketing of Heineken 0.0, which made its U.S. debut in 2019 and is now the biggest non-alc beer in the country, according to Beer Business Daily. Heineken 0.0 has grown for 20 consecutive quarters, including double-digit growth in the third quarter, the company reported last month. Cahill also oversaw the marketing for the U.S. launch of Heineken Silver, the low-calorie, low-carb brand mean to compete with Michelob Ultra.
Heineken USA brands are down 4.2% through Oct. 26 this year, according to Nielsen figures reported by Beer Marketer’s Insights, with Heineken sales down 2.3%.
In its fiscal third quarter, revenues in Heineken’s Americas division increased by 3% and volume fell by 1%, reflecting higher prices and premiumization offset by “soft industry trends,” in the U.S. and Mexico, Harold van den Broek, chief financial officer, said in an Oct. 23 conference call.