The creation and communication of a new corporate identity at Anheuser-Busch InBev Paper (“scriptie”) submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the Advanced Master Degree: Multilingual Business Communication, by Sander Laridon 2008-2009 Supervisor: Prof. dr. Geert Jacobs Description of the internship Bedrijf Stagebegeleider Afdeling Taken Talen tijdens de stageperiode stage Anheuser- Kristien Abbeel Internal - Organisatie en Hoofdtaal is 27 april ‘09 Busch InBev / Communication opvolging van interne Engels. Tot Brouwerijplein Laurence Western Europe evenementen (LPC Daarnaast ook 17 augustus 1 Andrianne (People & meeting, World Nederlands en ‘09 3000 Leuven Management) Environment Day) Frans voor - Redactie en gewone coördinatie van interne gesprekken op de communicaties voor de werkvloer. Zone Western Europe - Presentaties maken voor de Zone President Western Europe en voor de Vice President People & Management - 2 - All information in this dissertation is confidential to Anheuser-Busch InBev. No part of this dissertation may be made public, be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, or stored in a database without the prior permission of Anheuser-Busch InBev. - 3 - Word of thanks For me, this dissertation paper means the end of an extremely interesting but exhausting year. In the past year, I broadened my vision and mind and acquired knowledge and skills. In addition to this, I met a lot of interesting people whom it was a pleasure to work with. My internship at Anheuser-Busch InBev was the acme of my academic studies. It was an exquisite opportunity to turn the gathered knowledge and theory into practice. As a consequence, I want to thank the people at Anheuser-Busch InBev, and particularly Kristien Abbeel and the full People & Management Team, for the opportunities that they offered me. Furthermore, I would like to thank my parents for their unremitting care and support. In addition, I want to show my biggest thanks to Emmelien, my girlfriend. The past four months were extremely interesting but also very hectic and heavy. When I once in a while experienced a hard day, she always managed to tone me up with her love. Sander Laridon Ghent, August 2009 - 4 - Index 1. Anheuser-Busch InBev.................................................................................................. - 10 - 1.1 Anheuser-Busch InBev anno 2009 ......................................................................... - 11 - 1.2 Anheuser-Busch InBev’s history ............................................................................ - 13 - 1.2.1 ‘Den Horen’ .................................................................................................... - 13 - 1.2.2 Interbrew ........................................................................................................ - 14 - 1.2.3 InBev ............................................................................................................... - 15 - 1.2.4 Anheuser-Busch InBev.................................................................................... - 16 - 1.3 Company structure ................................................................................................ - 18 - 1.3.1 Global level ..................................................................................................... - 18 - 1.3.2 Zone Western Europe .................................................................................... - 20 - 1.4 Corporate identity ................................................................................................. - 22 - 1.4.1 Mission and strategy: the four pillars ............................................................ - 22 - 1.4.2 Cost-Connect-Win Model ............................................................................... - 26 - 1.4.3 Dream-People-Culture platform .................................................................... - 27 - 1.5 Anheuser-Busch InBev’s brands ............................................................................ - 31 - 1.5.1 Marketing & Brand strategy ........................................................................... - 31 - 1.5.2 Brand portfolio and consumer profile ........................................................... - 34 - - 5 - 1.6 Anheuser-Busch InBev’s competitors .................................................................... - 41 - 1.6.1 Direct competition ......................................................................................... - 41 - 1.6.2 Indirect competition ....................................................................................... - 43 - 1.6.3 Budget competition ........................................................................................ - 45 - 1.7 SWOT Analysis ....................................................................................................... - 46 - 1.7.1 Strengths ........................................................................................................ - 46 - 1.7.2 Weaknesses .................................................................................................... - 48 - 1.7.3 Opportunities ................................................................................................. - 49 - 1.7.4 Threats ............................................................................................................ - 50 - 2. The creation of a new corporate identity after mergers and acquisitions .................. - 51 - 2.1 Corporate identity, image and culture .................................................................. - 51 - 2.2 Internal communication ........................................................................................ - 56 - 2.2.1 Definition ........................................................................................................ - 56 - 2.2.2 Purposes ......................................................................................................... - 57 - 2.2.3 The interaction between internal communication and corporate identity ... - 59 - 2.3 Adaptation and acculturation in mergers and acquisitions .................................. - 60 - 2.3.1 The importance of postmerger/postacquisition integration ......................... - 60 - 2.3.2 Modes of acculturation .................................................................................. - 61 - 2.4 A new Anheuser-Busch InBev corporate identity ................................................. - 66 - - 6 - 2.4.1 Degree of acculturation.................................................................................. - 66 - 2.4.2 The creation of the Anheuser-Busch InBev corporate identity ..................... - 67 - 2.4.3 The communication of the new corporate identity ....................................... - 77 - 3. My internship at Anheuser-Busch InBev ...................................................................... - 80 - 3.1 The rollout of the new Anheuser-Busch InBev Ten Principles .............................. - 81 - 3.1.1 Background ..................................................................................................... - 81 - 3.1.2 Personal contribution ..................................................................................... - 81 - 3.1.3 Personal evaluation ........................................................................................ - 84 - 3.2 The organization of World Environment Day ........................................................ - 86 - 3.2.1 Background ..................................................................................................... - 86 - 3.2.2 Personal contribution ..................................................................................... - 87 - 3.2.3 Personal evaluation ........................................................................................ - 88 - 3.3 The organization of the LPC Western Europe ....................................................... - 89 - 3.3.1 Background ..................................................................................................... - 89 - 3.3.2 Personal contribution ..................................................................................... - 90 - 3.3.3 Personal evaluation ........................................................................................ - 93 - 3.4 The writing and sending of ‘Flashes’ ..................................................................... - 94 - 3.4.1 Background ..................................................................................................... - 94 - 3.4.2 Personal contribution ..................................................................................... - 94 - - 7 - 3.5 Presentations ......................................................................................................... - 95 - 3.5.1 Monthly Calls .................................................................................................. - 95 - 3.5.2 Engagement .................................................................................................... - 96 - 4. Conclusion .................................................................................................................... - 97 - 5. Bibliography ................................................................................................................ - 100 - 5.1 Printed sources .................................................................................................... - 100 - 5.2 Digital sources .....................................................................................................