Rather than splitting one rights package across the portfolio, Heineken Beverages has assigned each brand its own fan occasion. Windhoek takes the lead position and will own the 19th Hole, launched as a new experience platform that combines draught beer, live entertainment and the brand’s “Refreshingly Real” positioning, extending engagement beyond the playing hours. Savanna brings its unscripted comedic tone to the fairways through fan experiences, while Amarula will host premium sunset celebrations, positioning the brand in the evening hospitality occasion. Savanna and Amarula will also operate fan areas with vantage points over The Links.
The activation window opens well before tee-off. Since 1 November, Windhoek has been running promotions at golf courses in the Western Cape and selected retail outlets in George, with purchase incentives and a ticket competition that link in-store and on-trade activity to event attendance. Heineken Beverages said the programme will also include extensive paid media, broadcast integrations and in-store activations aimed at a nationwide sports audience.
The property itself pits Ernie Els’s Team South Africa against José María Olazábal’s Team World in team match-play. The cross-sport line-up includes cricketers Jacques Kallis, AB de Villiers, Brian Lara and Jimmy Anderson, rugby players Schalk Burger and Fourie du Preez, footballers John Terry and Dwight Yorke, and tennis champion Ash Barty. The event will be broadcast internationally, offering sponsors reach beyond the on-site audience.
“The Icons Cup brings together world-class game-changers in an authentic environment, making it the perfect fit for Heineken Beverages and our brand portfolio,” said Kavir Gangiah, Head of Consumer Experience and Sponsorships at Heineken Beverages. Thomas Brookes, CEO and Founder of the Icons Series, said the agreement “sets the standard for how we want to work with every partner that engages with us.”
