Heineken is probably the best known brand of beer in the world. They export to more than 170 countries around the globe and own many a brand name you might think of as your own. Get a touch of Irish blarney when you drink Murphy's Stout? Pardon me, but we're Dutch, actually. You like Amstel as a lowland alternative? Sorry, that's Heineken too. With a production of 7.4 billion liters, Heineken is number two in the world (second only to the American brewer Anheuser Busch).
If you ask the Heineken people, they'll attribute their success to the "distinctive taste of the beer" due to the A-yeast strain developed in the 19th century. Certainly, the beer tastes good, but so do a lot of beers. No, Heineken's success is a tribute to the power of aggressive corporate marketing.

The Power of Marketing
When Gerard Adriaan Heineken acquired the Amsterdam Hooiberg (Haystack) brewery in 1864, he wasted no time. He bought the biggest and quickly expanded with new breweries. By the 30's, they had breweries in Asia. On the day prohibition ended in the US, they had ships asail. By the 60's, the company had breweries in every populated continent.
Here in The Netherlands, Heineken related marketing is a ubiquitous feature of the polder landscape. They sponsor everything from sporting events to, small brown cafés, which is, of course, where it all started.

Tourist Mecca
Most recognizable to Amsterdam visitors is the old Heineken Brewery, which dominates the Weteringschans in the center of the city. Now converted into a museum, tens of thousands from all over the planet come to hear the Heineken story. The promise of free samples awaits. Room after room tells the Heineken story from its humble beginnings to the corporate colossus it has become. In the final room, the now thirsty public is treated to what is more or less a commercial on multiple monitors. At long last, the tour terminates in a wooden beer hall, where a free (included in the ticket, actually) supply of the golden fluid is tapped. It's all very good, very efficient, very slick. Perhaps, a little too slick.