The Old Beam Team Blog

Blog Schedule

2009-10-29T08:00:00.000-07:00

Schedule at 15.00.

New Blog

2008-12-18T02:08:00.000-08:00

We have moved our Publicis-Dialog-Beam-Team blog to Notorious-Beam-Team.

Glenfiddich Barrel Art

2008-12-17T09:07:00.000-08:00

Glenfiddich have commissioned design agency Johnson Banks to bring their use of barrels to life with a series of artworks.

From PSFK:

"The creative team decided to use the barrel as their muse, exploring it in its singular parts, as a way of depicting the distinctive characteristics of Glenfiddich’s five signature whiskies, aged 12 to 30 years. The end result of the project is a stunning display of industrial pieces that give weight to the passage of time. The image pictured at right illustrates “the angel’s share,” the amount of whisky that evaporates during distillation, the words “For 21 Years We Take a Share” cut into the wood. With so many alcohol companies spending top dollar on advertising campaigns promoting vacuous experiences, it’s a nice change to see a celebration of tradition and taste which is ultimately the thing being sold anyway."

Here's a snapshot of some of the pieces:

For more images and an interesting glimpse into the creative process visit the Flcikr set here.

And for debate about the pros and cons of this project visit the Creative Review blog which is generally in favour of the idea, but many of the commenters feel that the creative execution wasn't radical enough. Maybe they should have commissioned an artist rather than a design agency? That said, I think the work is very impressive. It is something we have thought about for a number of our whisky and cognac brands in the past. Getting people to talk about whisky isn't easy and this project seems to have achieved it.

Burger King launches meat-scented fragrance

2008-12-17T07:22:00.000-08:00

Bonkers. But getting a fair bit of media coverage. And very true to form of Burger King to do something whacky that centres on their superior burgers. You can see this through recent work on Whopper Freakout, Whopper Bars and the recent Whopper Virgins campaign. This is from Brand Republic:

"Fast-food chain Burger King has launched a meat-scented cologne in the US for under $4 (£2.56) and has aptly called it "Flame".

The men's fragrance, which is being sold at a New York retailer and online, is being touted as "the scent of seduction, with a hint of flame-broiled meat".

Meat-loving consumers can buy a bottle of the scent for just $3.99.

Burger King has also launched a website called FireMeetsDesire.com to accompany the cologne.

The site reads: "The Whopper sandwich is America's favourite burger. Flame by BK captures the essence of that love and gives it to you."

Users are also greeted with the caption: "Now you can set the mood for whatever you're in the mood for."

Burger King released the fragrance earlier this week and an informal survey carried out by the Boston Herald revealed that some men would actually wear it."

Courvoisier The Future 500 Christmas Party

2008-12-12T05:49:00.000-08:00

Courvoisier hosted a spectacular party for the Future 500 at The House of St. Barnabus on Greek Street. The Future 500 (F500) is a network created by Courvoisier, designed to support and promote Britain's most sparkling talent. The event last week celebrated the success of our members by showcasing some of the inspirational work that they have accomplished this year as well as creating a rich environment for networking and sharing ideas. Click here to watch the Brand Republic video. And for a round up of what the idea is all about click here for a previous post.

I was privileged to be invited and was genuinely overwhelmed by how enthusiastic the Members were. They all had nothing but praise for the idea and relished the chance to meet up with like minded entrepreneurs. One of the best things about the network is the Future Bank which offers members the chance to pitch, on a monthly basis, for £1,000 funding for fresh and inventive ideas...

Le Nez was also given its first public outing. We created a room dedicated to the layers of aromas and flavours found within Courvoisier XO Imperial. We have identified 3 key aromas for each of our 7 marques and have created them as perfumes as a way of demystifying Courvoisier cognac and helping people to understand the cognac experience in a refreshing way.

We created a darkened room styled to look like a perfumery with seating for 5 intimate guests. Rebecca explained the idea and then presented the 3 key aromas - for XO the aromas of creme brulee, candied orange and iris flowers. To enhance the experience of each aroma we have worked with an incredibly talented musician called Laurent Assoulen who is able to compose the sound of smells. We played this music whilst we diffused the key aromas.

There was a queue of people all night waiting to experience Le Nez de Courvoisier and the feedback was excellent. It's great to see such a positive reaction to this sensory experience.

Le Nez permeated the whole event, with cocktails designed to pair up with the aromas in Exclusif - A Gingerbread Courvoisier Exclusif cocktail played with the aroma of gingerbread that you find in this cognac.

And delicious creme brulees played with the aroma of creme brulee in XO.

The Courvoisier Future 500 is on a roll - we can't wait to see how it evolves.

5 Types of American Men

2008-11-12T10:04:00.000-08:00

I spotted this on PSFK and thought it might be useful for some of Beam's whisky brands.

"At Future Trends 08, Spike TV presented research that they released earlier this year. The research has obviously been created to help sell advertising but for anyone out there who is making products, services or communications for men in America, it might provide some useful data points. Luckily, you readers don’t have to make it to Miami. Simply download the PDF here and a summary is on this page here."

Trusted Places Hornitos Event with Hornitos Cocktails

2008-11-12T09:29:00.000-08:00

The legends over at Trusted Places put on a fantastic Day of the Dead party at Chilango off Fleet Street in London. To read more about it visit either watch the video below or click on this link to their blog.

Thanks to Walid, Sokratis and Niamh for organising such a great event. We can't wait to get involved again.

NYC Day of the Dead Event Sponsored by Hornitos

2008-11-12T09:14:00.000-08:00

Trawling through Technorati, I found this great pictoral review on Flash Eccentric of the Hornitos sponsored Day of the Dead party in New York...

"Firstly, nobody can beat Heidi Klum’s costume. Next, I can’t beat everyone else. I promise - next year, I’ll put more thought and effort into my Halloween costume. Refinery29 snapped some awesome costumes which the “it” people in NYC were dressed in, at the Hornitos Tequila sponsored Day of the Dead-themed party."

Here are some of the pictures.

And here's the commentary from Refinery 29's blog...

"With Halloween falling on the Friday before the election this year, there was a double-dose of pent-up energy for the holiday. And there was no better way to relieve it than at the Hornitos Tequila sponsored Day of the Dead-themed party. The fete was held at a huge warehouse-like space on Cortland Alley and hosted by Earnest Sewn's Carlos Quirarte, Matt Creed, Matt Kleigman, and Taavo Somer of Freeman's fame. Somer described the decorations as "like the set of ¡Three Amigos! during Día de los Muertos as seen through a tribal pink mescaline dew." With Hornipolitans in hand, guests rocked out to performances by local favorites Lissie Trullie and The Virgins. Party attendees of the night included Mary Kate Olsen, Nate Lowman, Theodora Richards, Harley Viera Newton, Leo Fitzpatrick, and Rogan, who was dressed as a giant Jesus roaming around on stilts.

Our Style Director, Piera Gelardi, was judging the midnight costume competition, along with Scott Campbell, Waris, and Julie Gilhart, but didn't hear her name called. Our absentee vote named Gia Bahm—dressed as this iconic Annie Leibovitz photo of John Lennon and Yoko Ono—the winner. Side note: Our friend Shelly lost her wallet that night. Ay carumba! But it was returned to her yesterday by the bartender Juan who found and returned three wallets that night. What a guy!"

Looks like a great event. And as an aside, these are some of the best event photographs I have seen for ages. Top work from snapper Olivia Jade Horner.

Sauza Hornitos - Electric Garden Event

2008-11-12T09:09:00.000-08:00

Part of the current Hornitos marketing plan in the US is the Hortnitos Electric Garden. I just found this video on NBC5 Street Team's blog and thought it was worth posting.

Hornitos': Midnight in the Garden of Agave from Jen Knoedl on Vimeo.

Teacher's - Create your Space

2008-11-12T01:51:00.000-08:00

Teachers aspires to become the most relevant and accessible Scotch whisky for men aged 30 + by appealing to their need for ‘manspace’, a place where they can escape the pressures of the modern world, find inspiration and allow them to become an authority on subjects of their choice.

Teacher’s helps men identify this space under the ‘Create your space’ platform, developed in 2007, and evolved in April this year with the launch of the ‘Win an Airstream travel trailer’ or ‘1 of 250 Mountain bikes’ on-pack promotion. This was supported by a Press campaign and a uniquely illustrative website designed to challenge the ‘dusty’ brand perception and encourage interaction via an online quiz. The promotion finished last month with over 18,000 applications which gave an impressive 12% redemption rate

September launched phase 2 of the campaign with an offer to ‘Win a Classic Car plus an Expert Mate to help you look after it for 1 year’ OR ‘1 of 250 fully equip toolkits’ for runners up. The Classic Car promotion runs until the end of March next year.

For more information on the promotion visit the website www.teacherswhisky.com/space

Sourz - Zing City

2008-11-11T07:31:00.000-08:00

Major national event – Sourz Zing City launch

The Sourz Zing City tour hit the road last month taking over four major UK cities - Glasgow, Liverpool, Manchester and Bristol. Zing City, brought to you by Sourz, fused together music from top UK DJs with cutting-edge light shows, stylish performances and new Sourz long drink serves.

Headlining the events were super-hip Streetlife DJs and club maestros, Jon Carter and Justin Robertson. Über cool performance troupe, Cirque Bijou, made up the mix with a spectacular show. Performances included brand new acts including a rare aerial routine, courtesy of female acrobat, Avital Giles.

Zing City was created to celebrate the trend for cross-entertainment clubbing and served-up a multi-sensory, interactive experience. This vibrant blend of entertainment was supported by the ‘mixzing’ of Sourz where partygoers experienced Sourz as a modern long drink with new serves that include: Sourz Apple and cranberry; Sourz Cherry and cola and Sourz Blackcurrant and lemonade.

The campaign was also supported by Radio, PR and online with a facebook fan page, Itchy city takeovers and an engaging and contemporary website. The Sourz zing city tour also featured in Campaign magazine this month!

To view more photos from the event, click here

Awesome Picture

2008-11-10T09:48:00.000-08:00

I've not got a lot to say about this. Except for the fact that I love the photograph. I found it on Londonist but it was taken by Only Because Mushroom Told Me To.

Pepsi: Beauty generates talkability

2008-11-10T05:15:00.000-08:00

As part of a campaign which is expanding Pepsi's advertising well beyond TV, design is central to getting the brand talked about.
A new Pepsi can series features several designers who each interpret the original idea. J Kaczmarek of NY designed and illustrated this packaging and the sheer beauty of the product is generating interest worldwide.

BBH and Johnnie Walker Keep Winning

2008-11-10T04:26:00.000-08:00

Well done for winning the IPA Effectiveness Grand Prix 2008.

Malibu Designer Bottles

2008-11-10T04:01:00.000-08:00

Designer bottles are all the rage. Now Malibu are on the case.

"LaMJC curated the Malibu Pop & Street Art Series. The liquor bottle comes with designs made by Delta, So_Me and James Jarvis. Limited to 100 individually numbered bottles of each design, the set will be exclusively available at colette. As of December 1rst they will be on display."

From High Snobeity

Ikea's Making the Russian Tube System Better

2008-11-10T03:46:00.000-08:00

Ikea's "Let's make the everyday a little better" idea has made a sensational comeback in Moscow. I'm probably overstating this a bit. The last time we reported on Ikea was in August 2006!

Here's a quick recap of the work they were doing in New York...

And the work in Sweden was just as cute... possibly even more so...

And now they have rolled out the same idea in Russia. I love it. And I am guessing it must have been a nightmare to get the Russian authorities to approve it!

For the full set of Flickr photos click here. It's great to see. The one time I used the Moscow underground I got incredibly lost and decided not to use it again. The resulting taxi ride resulted in me and Anne getting kidnapped! For more background have a look at this. It's great to see something that isn't intrusive.

What if Ikea were to invest in the London Underground. They could be in charge of the Hammersmith and City Line's design... could be fun. And it would fit with the private finance initiative. What do you think Borris?

Discovered on PSFK.

Animation on the Tube

2008-11-10T03:42:00.000-08:00

When I was at university I had what I thought was a brainwave... and it turns out that people are doing it already. Ho hum. Pretty cool though.

From PSFK.

"PSFK friend Gino Reyes shot this video during his morning commute on NYC’s B subway line. This sort of underground animation has been seen in other parts of the world - most notably Asia - but usually as part of advertising campaigns. This one doesn’t seem to carry any particular message - as far as we can tell, it’s just there to entertain subway riders as they gaze longingly out their car windows. We don’t know who is behind these - if you have any idea, please let us know!"

Taking Luxury to New Levels

2008-11-06T09:10:00.000-08:00

You can always rely on Johnnie Walker Blue to do things properly. So true to form, they have absolutely nailed this. It could barely be more luxurious. Great idea.

From Luxist

"Some special books come with online access codes bringing additional insight into the topic, a beautiful handmade bookmark or an original signature of the author but the 'By Appointment Only' diary from Johnnie Walker Blue Label is more than just a place to log your writings -- it is a doorway to exclusive events and services. Included in this expensive holiday package are tickets to the Monaco Grand Prix 2009 and Johnnie Walker Golf Championships, a bespoke blending experience with a Johnnie Walker Master Blender creating your very own whisky, and access to a premiere concierge service offering more Johnnie Walker experiences at your fingertips.

The leather bound diary, of which there are only three, is priced at an impressive £95,000 and comes from luxury stationer Aspinal of London. There are an additional twenty diaries available for £2,000 with access to the services and events above as well -- the difference in price I am sure accounts for less luxurious accommodations or some other discrepancy in experience but nonetheless would make a spectacular gift."

Good for getting talked about.

Sero2 Water

2008-11-06T09:06:00.000-08:00

Interesting water. It's designed to improve your mental health.

"Sleeplessness. Anxiety. Feeling low. Stress...

Many people believe these feelings are caused by "today's busy life." But in reality it's more likely your brain has lowered levels of the neurotransmitter Serotonin.

Ring a bell? You've heard of Serotonin but you're not sure what it is- right?

Well, you're going to hear a lot more about Serotonin in the next few months, thanks to Sero2, the unique new serotonic water developed here in New Zealand.

The neurotransmitter Serotonin is created by your body especially for your brain with just one purpose- to make you feel good! So low serotonin levels mean low mood levels. And low mood levels can mean anxiety, stress, irritability, food cravings and more."

Neat idea. It completely fits in with the ideas in Brain Rules. Maybe they should do some form of collaboration.

Sero2.

Pepsi uses QR codes

2008-11-06T08:34:00.000-08:00

From Brand Republic

"LONDON - Pepsi has kicked off a mobile campaign where consumers can get content for their mobile phones by taking a picture of a "quick response" code on its cans and bottles.

Britvic and PepsiCo plan to put the QR codes on 400 million cans and bottles.

Consumers can take a picture of the code with their mobile phone camera, which will automatically redirect them to a WAP site. Here, they will receive entertainment, or a kick, on their mobile phone.
ADVERTISEMENT

The prizes include advice from life coach Rusty Champion, Pro Evolution Soccer and Project Gotham racing games, ringtones and wallpapers. Frequent visitors will be rewarded for their loyalty with exclusive content.

The QR codes will feature on all Pepsi brands, which include Pepsi, Diet Pepsi and Pepsi Max.

Ahmed Abdel-Karim, the marketing manager for Pepsi UK, said: "Pepsi is using QR codes to connect with, and engage, consumers in a new and exciting way wherever they are."

QR codes have been used by advertisers in Japan for a number of years."

There are 4 key aspects that I find interesting about this.

1. As far as I can see it is the biggest use in the UK of this media/technology. Let's see if it opens the floodgates.

2. The Japanese have been using these codes for ages and it is completely ingrained into their way of life.

3. There's still a barrier to QR codes working. I tired to install the software on my BlackBerry and my Nokia but couldn't get either to work. Maybe I am being an idiot. But either way it needs to work better from a usability point of view.

4. I am really excited about the potential of using QR codes from an alcoholic drinks perspective. It could provide a brilliant way of providing connoisseurship information in on-trade environments.

Inamo

2008-10-31T10:41:00.000-07:00

From Springwise

"The impatient and hungry tech-heads of London have been given a new treat with the launch of Inamo, a pan-Asian restaurant that has canned the traditional printed menu in favour of an interactive ordering system. An illustrated menu is projected onto the diners’ touch-sensitive table, which also lets customers personalize the décor of the booth by selecting sounds and animated, projected table ‘cloths’. While waiting for their meal—the pan-Asian menu was created by head chef Anthony Sousa Tam, previously of Nobu, Ubon and Hakkasan—diners can use the touch-table to watch a live feed of their chefs at work, or to find information on what’s happening in the neighbourhood. Should the evening be going well, courting couples can use the system to book a taxi home, or if the evening descends into kill-me-now silence, rescue is at hand in the form of the system’s built-in games.

The restaurant’s inspiration came from the founders’ frustrations at inattentive waiters when dining elsewhere. However, this doesn’t mean Inamo is devoid of the human touch: food is brought to the table by staff members, who are also on hand to answer diners’ questions. The restaurant's designers also wisely avoided a tech-inspired décor, instead creating a look that's fresh and attractive, with technology offered not as the main course, but as an integrated enhancement.

With Adour’s interactive wine bar, and uWink’s entertainment kiosks at tables, food and beverage venues are bringing a digital dimension to their offer. For more on how the offline world—also known as the real world, meatspace or atom-arena—is adjusting to and mirroring the increasingly dominant online world, check out trendwatching.com’s briefing on OFF=ON.

Website: www.inamo-restaurant.com

We went here last week as an agency... does that make us ahead of the trend? It's great fun. Just don't go for the sushi. Everything else is brilliant.

Chivas Regal Limited Edition with Alexander McQueen

2008-10-31T07:37:00.000-07:00

Another great post from Luxist:

"British fashion star Alexander McQueen has designed a limited edition "couture" bottle of Chivas Regal 18-Year-Old Gold Signature Scotch for the holidays. McQueen's design features royal blue leather detailing and comes topped with a hand-enameled blue, red and gold cap.

"This is a piece of art which reflects the luxury and craftsmanship values of what haute couture is all about," McQueen tells Vogue UK. "You can see my signature 'stamp' with the blue leather 'dress' and the Union Jack colors. I have created a rare collector's item that those with an eye for design will want to keep."

Only 2,000 individually numbered bottles are being produced and will be available exclusively from deluxe UK department store Selfridges, for about $500."

Cointreau Noir

2008-10-31T07:36:00.000-07:00

From Luxist

"If regular Cointreau is just a bit too orange-heavy for you to drink by itself you might want to taste Cointreau Noir. The tagline for the drink is "nothing to add," highlighting the fact that Cointreau on its own is a ubiquitous mixer.

The new Cointreau Noir is a blend of Cointreau liqueur and Remy Martin cognac meant to be sipped neat over ice or straight. The bottle is almost identical to the regular Cointreau bottle's squared shape except this bottle has a bright copper coating and a bold black label. But it's what inside that commands attention. The pairing of Cointreau and Remy Martin has resulted in mellowing out Cointreau's sweet orange flavor and adding soft vanilla and nut notes, as well as a golden amber color It's a natural for pairing with fall desserts like pumpkin, apple or pecan pie. It also turns a cup of coffee into a deliciously decadent drink Were I headed to an outdoor fall event, this would be a wonderful warmer to keep in my flask. It can be found for around $63.99 for a 750ml bottle."

Interesting to see Remy sneaking in here.

Giant Nose Promotes New Whisky Book

2008-10-31T07:31:00.000-07:00

From Luxist

"They say that when blending whisky it's all about the sniffer. Small wonder then that a new book by master whiskey blender Richard Patterson and Gavin D Smith features Patterson on the cover with his nose headed glassward and goes by the title "Goodness Nose." Cute, right? What's even cuter, although perhaps veering into the strange is that a six-foot high nose, based on Patterson's more modest proboscis has been spotted around Edinburgh as part the promotion for the book. The Edinburgh News reports that the nose has been spotted in the city's Multrees Walk, the Royal Mile and Princes Street Gardens. I'm hoping pictures surface soon, this I've got to see."

I am particularly interested in this... because of our Le Nez de Courvoisier project which is all about the array of aromas in our cognac.

Beam Launches Sylish new Rye Whiskey

2008-10-31T07:27:00.000-07:00

From Luxist

"Rye whiskey doesn't have a reputation for being a particularly modern tipple but Beam is trying to help that profile along with the introduction of (rī)1 Whiskey, the company's first ultra-premium rye whiskey. The (rī)1 (pronounced "rye one") has the slightly peppery edge to it that draws people to rye whiskey. When served with water, the fuirt and spice notes become more apparent. Of course rye whiskey has a natural home in Manhattans and Old Fashioneds but the they have also created a new cocktail, the Rising Sun, that uses lemon juice and orange juice. I haven't had a chance to taste what's inside yet but at least the bottle doesn't make you feel like you're drinking grandpa's booze. It sells for $46-$48 and future (rī)2 and (rī)3 editions are planned."

Great looking bottle. A neat idea. And a great addition to the Beam portfolio.

Jose Cuervo 'Live Notoriously Well' campaign

2008-10-30T09:43:00.000-07:00

Diageo has lined up a new marketing campaign in the US for its Jose Cuervo Tequila brand.

The campaign, entitled 'Live Notoriously Well', will be led by 30-second and 15-second television adverts for the brand. The tongue-in-cheek ads follow a man's quest to become a living legend, guided by the 'Book of Living Notoriously'.

While no financial details were given, Diageo did say that the push would also include out-of-home, online, print and radio advertising, public relations programmes and experiential marketing.

"Jose Cuervo is the ultimate authority on Living Notoriously Well," said Gerry Reid, managing director of Jose Cuervo International. "The campaign will energise the brand among our target consumers and reflect who they are and what they aspire to be. Jose Cuervo will assist them in reaching those aspirations through a metaphorical guide to approaching life."

The TV ads will air on cable networks including ESPN, Spike TV, Discovery Channel, Comedy Central, Turner Sports-TNT, FX and TBS.

Prototype Wine Labels from Frank

2008-10-30T02:53:00.000-07:00

Nice idea from Frank.

Via The Dieline

Beer is divine. Here's the proof

2008-10-22T04:01:00.000-07:00

A popular Swedish brand that's on sale in Waitrose and coming to a pub near you.

Le Nez de Courvoisier

2008-10-16T08:46:00.000-07:00

We launched what we affectionally call "Le Nez" in the USA several months ago. It's a way of using the rich array of aromas in Courvoisier's cognac as a really engaging programme for our sales force and cognac fans to explain what makes Courvoisier so special. The sense of smell is underused in the world of marketing and is proving to be an extrmely effective way of demystifying the complex world of cognac. (For some interesting research into the power of smell see the Sense of Smell Institute website)

For each marque our skilled group of cognac artisans at Jarnac have identified the 3 key aromas that are most prevalent. Our cognac experts are able to explain the cause of each individual smell, which is a great way of training our sales force and cognac enthusiasts alike about what makes Courvoisier so rich and aromatic.

We have worked with Presensia and Givaudan to create the exact aromas that our nosing team identified... it has been a fascinating project that we are incredibly passionate about.

It's brilliant to see the idea getting such a great write up from the likes of Robert Plotkin on the Bar Media blog.

"Brandy is the most prestigious spirit on the shelf. Few products immediately conjure aspirational images of prosperity and sophistication, or so ably illustrate the concept of affordable luxury as do as these traditional heavyweights. Their appeal transcends age and demographics, and although belt-tightening has reduced our discretionary income, cognacs and brandies offer people a lot of indulgence for the buck.

The House of Courvoisier has developed an extraordinary educational program geared to help people in the industry develop their senses of smell, which in turn, leads to heightened senses of taste. The program is called Le Nez ("the nose") de Courvoisier and involves working with various bottled scents to learn how to readily identify those same aromas in their cognac, or more specifically Courvoisier XO Imperial and Courvoisier Exclusif.

Recently released Exclusif is a distinctively different style of cognac created for use in cocktails, a role that it performs exceptionally well. One reason is the highly aromatic composition of its blend, which includes eaux de vie from the small, exclusive growing regions of Fins Bois and Borderies. The Le Nez program (pronounced luh nay) helps you distinguish the various aromas in Exclusif's bouquet, such as dried plums, ginger cookies and roasted coffee beans.

At the upper reaches of their portfolio is Courvoisier XO Imperial, a prestigious cognac assembled with eaux de vie ranging in age between 20 and 35 years derived largely from the Grande Champagne region, with lesser amounts from Petite Champagne and Borderies. Its savory bouquet is rich with the aromas of crème brûlée, candied oranges and iris flowers.

The Le Nez de Courvoisier program is a brilliant approach to enhancing the appreciation of not only cognac, but all premium distilled spirits. The program is under the direction of Courvoisier Brand Ambassador, Stephanie Mills. For more information, contact your local Jim Beam representative, or Beam Global Spirits & Wine in Deerfield, IL at 847.948.8888.

It presents an invaluable opportunity to sharpen your skills and senses all in one fell swoop. --RP"

Well done to all the Le Nez team - let's keep the momentum up drive the idea forward. If anyone wants to know more or wants one of our Le Nez de Courvoisier kits, let us know.

Luxury Booze

2008-10-15T10:05:00.000-07:00

Anyone wanting to learn how to do luxury booze marketing could probably take a leaf out of this book from LVMH.

From Luxist:

"French luxury goods conglomerate LVMH is best known for its marquee property Louis Vuitton, but the company has also amassed the world's most amazing collection of top-class wine and spirits brands under its Moët Hennessy group. The incomparable portfolio is celebrated in a suitably lavish new book called Distinctive Vintages ($200, right) just out from Flammarion.

Moët Hennessy owns too many luxury brands to list, but to name a few: Hennessy Cognac; Moët & Chandon, luxe Dom Pérignon, Krug and Veuve Clicquot champagnes; Belvedere and Chopin vodkas; Glenmorangie and deliciously smoky Ardbeg single malt Scotch whiskies; and the famed Chateau d'Yquem wine, synonymous with the finest money can buy.

The book focuses on the collection of fine French wines and spirits, personified in three regions that are "as noble as they are prestigious": Cognac, the ancestral birthplace of Hennessy; Champagne, home Dom Pérignon and its confreres; and Bordeaux, graced by the magical Château d'Yquem. It offers both a practical guide to the three regions as well as an explanation of the different vintages and results produced by the famed houses."

Smirnoff Quantum of Solace Vodka

2008-10-15T10:01:00.000-07:00

From Luxist:

"A new James Bond movie is set to open and let the tie-ins begin. Smirnoff Vodka has announced a partnership with the new movie, Quantum of Solace, which is set to open in November. Starting in October a Smirnoff Black limited-edition stainless steel cocktail shaker that holds a 70cl bottle of Smirnoff Black vodka will pop up in duty-free shops at airports worldwide. Smirnoff isn't new to Bond movies, the brand first appeared in Dr No in 1962. The Quantum of Solace and The Black Martini are the newest Smirnoff cocktails, although I think ordering a Quantum of Solace might be a bit of a mouthful when out at the bars."

Champagne Bollinger James Bond Edition

2008-10-15T09:54:00.000-07:00

From Luxist:

"As my colleague Deidre Woollard reported earlier, the product tie-ins to the upcoming James Bond flick, Quantum of Solace, are beginning to hit the market.

The latest is from famed French champagne house Bollinger, founded in 1829. Bollinger has been featured in Bond films as 007's favorite celebratory tipple since Moonraker back in 1979.

Conceived by French designer Eric Berthès, the lockable steel bullet-shaped case engraved "Bollinger 007" holds a magnum of Bollinger's Grande Année 1999 champagne.

Packaged in a wooden box, the whole weighs over 50 pounds and costs about $5,800; only 207 numbered Bullets will be produced."

Via Born Rich

Remy XII Collaboration with Christophe Pillet

2008-10-15T09:45:00.000-07:00

From Luxist

"Here at Luxist we've mentioned Louis XIII Cognac a bunch of times but the pricey brand has recently unveiled a new artistic collaboration with designer Christophe Pillet to create limited-edition collection of items including a crystal glass, a silver illuminated serving platter, a crystal candleholder and a display case. When patrons of certain high-end restaurants throughout the world order Louis XIII, it will be served alongside Pillet's collection as an enhancement to the presentation. They may also be made available for purchase through some fine retailers. Louis XIII is made from grapes grown in the most fertile region of Cognac, which are then distilled, blended, and aged up to 40 to 100 years and bottled in hand-blown Baccarat crystal."

Crystal Skull Vodka

2008-10-15T09:23:00.000-07:00

From Luxist

"I saw the video of Dan Aykyroyd talking about Crystal Head vodka a week or so ago but I wasn't sure it was a real thing but turns out it is Aykroyd's newest venture in the world of liquor. Aykroyd's wines are currently the top selling celebrity brand in Canada and he recently announced they would be available in the U.S.

The selling point for Crystal Head vodka is is that it is quadrupled distilled and filtered three times through charcoal followed by triple filtration over Herkimer crystals. It also comes in that nifty skull bottle designed by John Alexander and manufactured by master artisans in Milano's Bruni Glass Company. The Infinium Spirits division of Wilson Daniels is marketing Crystal Head Vodka in the U.S. and it will be available initially in California, Texas, Nevada, Louisiana and Florida. It retails for $49.95.

As for the legend of the crystal skulls, I tend to side with the comprehensive article in Archaeology Magazine that came out earlier this year when the crystal skull craze began over the latest Indiana Jones movie."

Canadian Club Ltd. Edition 30 Year Old Whisky

2008-10-15T06:14:00.000-07:00

Good news from Luxist:

"To celebrate its 150th anniversary, Canadian Club has released a special limited edition 30 Year Reserve whisky, that boasts a "luscious oak character and a velvety texture with unsurpassed natural smoothness."

Having sampled it, we second that description. The company is releasing 3,000 bottles at $200 apiece, the first Canadian distiller to offer a product of this age and refinement.

Canadian Club obviously sounds very Canadian, but it actually got its start in Detroit, founded by grocer-turned-distiller Hiram Walker, who dubbed his whisky Walker's Club. When Prohibition reared its ugly head, Walker relocated his operation across the Detroit River to Ontario, where he soon established his own community, Walkerville.

Canadian Club has recently experienced something of resurgence thanks to the hit show Mad Men, wherein it's everyone's favorite character Don Draper's drink of choice."

The part about CC being Don Darper's favourite drink is fascinating... Damn Right.

Heston loves Sherry

2008-10-03T03:18:00.000-07:00

Words and image from Chris Osburn from the Londonist:

"Oh Sherry, there’s no reason to be all alone anymore! “Culinary alchemist” Heston Blumenthal (of Fat Duck fame), with scientist Professor Don Mottram of Reading University, has discovered a group of compounds known as diketopiperazines (try saying that drunk without offending someone) in Sherry. Apparently, these diketopiperazines are thought to accentuate the taste and flavour of “umami-rich” foods. In case you haven’t caught the blurps, umami is a newly discovered fifth tasting sense beyond sweet, sour, bitter and salty.

Huh? All ya need to know is that Sherry is yummy and goes well with a variety of meats, fish, cheese and more. According Mr Blumenthal, “Here we have scientific evidence to suggest what foodies across the globe have always known: that Sherry is a perfect wine to accompany food. And quite simply, Sherry gives these kinds of food an extra dimension of pleasure.” More about diketopiperazines et al at tenstartapas.com.

So what’s this gotta do with London? Well, Heston and pals unveiled their findings at Shoreditch House last night and kindly invited Londonist along to sample the findings. We think Blumenthal might be onto something with this new fangled science as we learned last night that Scotch eggs (with a layer of caramelized pork) go swimmingly with Pale Cream Sherry and that Eccles cake (with Stilton and Sherry butter of course) and Cream Sherry is a winning combo. And a simple salad of peach, rocket, Balsamic vinegar and almonds with a little Amontillado is about as good as it gets! We also learned that we really really (really!) need to make it out to Fat Duck some time for a bite (or maybe a Sherry tasting expedition to Jerez?). Shoreditch House is a pretty happening spot to drink too."

Exclusive Ltd. Edition Hennessy Sneakers by Jhung Yuro

2008-09-29T10:29:00.000-07:00

From Luxist:

"Hip luxury lifestyle brand Jhung Yuro has created an exclusive new limited edition sneaker for world renowned cognac house Hennessy. Dubbed the Hennessy Celebration Hi-Top, the brown and cream (like the bottle) sneaker is made from soft full grain leather with a suede tongue and vamp, napa pigskin interior and a croc embossed overlay and strap. It also has a non-marking rubber midsole and crepe rubber outsole with a leather logo patch. Only 500 handmade pairs of the limited edition shoe will be available for sale beginning Dec. 1 for $300 at Jhung Yuro's (pronounced "young Euro") website. Each pair will come packaged in a custom lizard skin embossed shoebox with a braided rope handle. The cognac is extra."

Last of the $10,000 Erté Courvoisier Cognac Collection

2008-09-29T10:25:00.000-07:00

From Luxist:

"Courvoisier is selling off the very last sets of its rare bottles designed by famed Art Deco artist and fashion illustrator Erté 20 years ago. The legendary cognac house commissioned the seven bottle set from the Russian-born artist for its extraordinary blend of precious Grande Champagne cognacs, some dating back to 1892. The last remaining sets which had been held in reserve will now be sold for $10,000 apiece; only eight of them are making their way to the U.S. market in November and can be pre-ordered here . Each of the seven bottles' designs represents a different facet of the cognac making process:

Vigne (Vine) shows the importance of the soil and environment to the grapes produced to make cognac.
Vendanges (Harvest) celebrates the passion of perfection for which Courvoisier is best known.
Distillation illustrates the process of distillation as a woman riding a volatile giant peacock.
Vieillissement (Aging) symbolizes the aging process as a robed female emerging from darkness.
Degustation (Tasting) shows the blending process of the cognacs.
L'Esprit du Cognac (The Spirit of Cognac) interprets the cognac spirit as a woman standing majestically surrounded by grapes.
La Part Des Anges (Angel's Share) symbolizes part of the aging process where some of the spirits' volume is lost through evaporation."

Grey Goose Dress Designs

2008-09-24T10:32:00.000-07:00

From Luxist:

"Rachel Roy is in the news again, and this time it's not because of the dough that she and husband Damon Dash owe. Roy has teamed up with vodka maker Grey Goose, which commissioned her to exclusively design and create a signature cocktail dress to be worn by the brand's spokesmodels at select Grey Goose-sponsored events across the country. The dresses will be labeled "Rachel Roy exclusively for Grey Goose Vodka." Grey Goose was the official title sponsor of the Rachel Roy Spring 2009 Fashion Presentation earlier this month during New York Fashion Week, and the partnership also will include trunk shows and store openings.

The cocktail dress will resemble a classic silhouette with clean, modern lines. Made of stretch wool for structure and ease of movement, the design will include a feminine draped neckline and an element of fluidity in the back detailing. (See gallery.)

Roy's creation is "derived from the classic heritage and discerning taste of the luxury vodka brand," according to Grey Goose. Roy notes, "In keeping with this tradition, my design matches the timeless fluidity of the little black dress, with a hint of the iconic, signature blue to capture the effortless elegance of this occasion."

In addition to joining with Grey Goose, Roy has jumped on the green bandwagon by designing eco-friendly clothing, which she will continue to selectively incorporate in seasons to come. Roy will donate 100% of the proceeds to Orphan Aid Africa, an organization that aims to help orphans in Ghana."

From Black Voices via Luxist.

The Classicist: Maker's Mark & Bourbon Heritage Month

2008-09-24T10:28:00.000-07:00

From Luxist:

"Maker's Mark, the top shelf Kentucky bourbon that traces its roots all the way back to 1780, just celebrated September's demarcation as National Bourbon Heritage Month during the 17th Annual Kentucky Bourbon Festival down South. The storied whisky maker isn't resting on its laurels however; they also just kicked off an admirable new campaign to encourage people to vote in the upcoming elections with a 16-city cross country bus tour and two new special limited edition bottlings featuring red, white and blue wax seals.

The story of Maker's, which is handmade in small quantities using water from a spring-fed lake and a mash consisting of corn, barley and winter wheat, goes back to 1870 when third generation Scottish-Irish immigrant Robert Samuels arrived in Kentucky. A farmer by trade, Samuels began making whisky for himself and a few friends. His grandson T.W. erected the family's first "commercial" distillery at Samuels Depot, the family farm, in 1840.

Fast-forward 100 years and the story takes an unexpected turn. T.W.'s great-great-grandson Bill Samuels Sr. was not overly fond of the "secret" family recipe - so he literally burnt it and sold off the distillery, which had become overly commercial. He then spent several years experimenting with different grains until he developed a entirely new bourbon recipe based on locally grown maize (corn), malted barley and soft, red, gentle winter wheat - as opposed to the traditional and harsher grain, rye.

In 1953, armed with his new recipe, Bill Sr. bought and rebuilt a small, old distillery in Loretto, Kentucky (now the oldest operating bourbon distillery in the world) in order to produce it. He selected the property for the clean, natural flavor of its limestone-filtered springs. While he waited six long years for his first batch of bourbon to mature, his wife devised its now iconic name and packaging, including the hand-dipped wax seal. The first bottle of Maker's Mark went on sale in 1958, and the rest was whisky history.

About 25 years ago, Bill Samuels Jr., the family's seventh generation bourbon distiller, took over the business. He has now been joined by his son Rob, who acts as the brand's global ambassador. They confine their bottling to about 600,000 cases per year, in batches of less than 1,000 gallons - a fraction of what most commercial distilleries produce - because, as the understated Samuels puts it, "that's staying within our abilities to not screw the product up." And if you've ever tasted Maker's, you know just how much of an understatement that is."

Taste Lab Restaurant

2008-09-22T03:12:00.000-07:00

From the ever brilliant Springwise

"Geschmackslabor, German for Flavour Lab, is a new restaurant located in a former school in Bremerhaven. The 'lab' part of the name doesn't refer to molecular gastronomy or food served in test tubes. Experimentation at the restaurant is all about letting customers add flavour to their meals.

Dishes are served ready-to-eat, but diners are encouraged to enhance them by adding one or more of twenty custom-made seasoning oils that Geschmackslabor has on offer. The seasonings are all based on very pure olive oil, which is infused with flavours ranging from Arabica coffee and rosemary to papaya and coconut. Geschmackslabor's menu suggests which seasonings go well with which dishes, but the whole point is for customers to experiment and find their own delicious combinations. The restaurant supplies plenty of bread for trying out different oils before adding them to food, allowing customers to sample a full range of spicy, sour, salty, sweet and bitter. The oils are also sold separately at EUR 4.90-5.50 for 100 ml.

Adding olive oil to prepared food may not appeal to every consumer, but Geschmackslabor's DIY approach to 'finishing' a dish definitely adds a new level of experience to eating out. It's an adventurous, taste-focused alternative to the usual ketchups and hot sauces, and should appeal to those daring consumers that our sister-site trendwatching.com calls trysumers. If you're in the restaurant biz, this is one to experiment with!

Website: www.geschmackslabor.com
Contact: info@geschmackslabor.com

Spotted by: Susanna Haynie"

Balvenie Whisky Pairing

2008-09-22T03:07:00.000-07:00

Balvenie is hosting a 5 course whisky matching dinner at:

Cliveden House, Taplow, Berkshire, SL6 OJF
Tuesday October 14th 2008
7.30pm
Dress code – Jacket & tie
Price - £95 per person (inclusive of five-course dinner and whisky)

Looks very stylish and I am sure will be great fun.

Here's the menu:

"Cured Scottish Salmon in citrus and black treacle on a veloute of fennel
Accompanied by a dram of The Balvenie Signature 12 Year Old

The Balvenie Signature 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky’s subtle citrus flavours and slight background spice contrast beautifully with the cured salmon which has slightly sweet yet salty flavour with hints of lemon, orange and lime. In addition, there is a lingering hint of treacle. This dish is truly a mouth watering experience.
Carpaccio of Wood Pigeon with marinated foie gras and a quince mousse
Accompanied by a dram of The Balvenie DoubleWood 12 Year Old

The Balvenie DoubleWood 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky is wonderfully sweet and multi-flavoured. The Wood pigeon and foie gras, flavours enhanced with a little sherry in the marinade, bring out light touches of Game and berry notes, while the quince gently exposes cinnamon spiciness and warmth.
Roasted Scottish Lobster with a smoked pomme puree and star anise
Accompanied by a dram of The Balvenie Single Barrel 15 Year Old

The Balvenie Single Barrel 15 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky is powerful yet subtle. The understated sweetness of The Balvenie Single Barrel is enhanced with the sweet lobster, while The Balvenie oak cask smoked potato offers a powerful and intriguing connection to one of The Balvenie Single Barrel flavours – ‘vanilla oak’. Finally, the whisky’s liquorice after taste is further enhanced by the Star Anise.
Balmoral Venison with root vegetables and sauce grand Veneur
Accompanied by a dram of The Balvenie Thirty

The Balvenie Thirty’s full and rich flavour drives straight to the heart of the rich flavoured venison. With its wonderful and naturally wild game flavour, it is a decidedly strong match to this big, thirty year old Malt.
Clafoutis of griottines and almonds with an almond ice cream and brute cocoa Accompanied by a dram of The Balvenie PortWood 21 Year Old

The Balvenie PortWood 21 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky. This whisky demands some pronounced flavours to ride alongside it. The griottines pack a punch with The Balvenie PortWood in which they have been uniquely preserved."

Sounds fantastic to me.

CSR Nightmare for Sparks

2008-09-22T03:04:00.000-07:00

From Slashfood:

"Sparks, the "caffeinated alcohol beverage with a blend of caffeine, taurine, guarana and ginseng extract," has been around since 2002 and has been owned by Miller since 2006, so it certainly isn't a new phenomenon. However, a number of questionable decisions recently have led to a massive backlash against the beverage and may well spell the end of alcohol/energy drink hybrids on the market.

General sentiment has been building that caffeinated alcohol beverages pose a risk to drinkers, especially for younger and underage drinkers who the beverages' detractors believe the products directly target. In fact, last summer, Anheuser-Busch received enough pressure that they eventually stopped making caffeinated-alcohol products. However, MillerCoors managed not only to slip by, but appears to have decided to do some flaunting.

First, the company announced they would be releasing Sparks Red this October, an addition to the Sparks product line that will have as much as 8% alcohol by volume -- a significant step up from the original Sparks' 6% ABV. Then there was backlash against what many considered to be a raunchy and unethical advertising campaign.

Well, they got publicity, but probably not what they were hoping for. As of yesterday, district attorneys from 25 states have called for the cancellation of the Sparks Red launch and, last week, the Center for Science in the Public Interest sued MillerCoors to stop selling Sparks all together. Public opinion seems to be shutting this industry down."

Dom Pérignon Rosé x Sylvie Fleury Box Set

2008-09-16T09:17:00.000-07:00

From Colette:

"Who blew the first kiss: Dom Pérignon or Sylvie Fleury? The result of the encounter between Sylvie Fleury and Dom Pérignon is a unique limited edition for Dom Pérignon.

The giftbox, edited in 999 copies, contains two large glasses, numbered and signed by Sylvie Fleury, and a bottle of Dom Pérignon Rosé Vintage 1998.

By imprinting a pair of lips on wine glasses, Sylvie Fleury has revealed by this artistic expression the very essence of the legendary wine, which creation is associated to Pierre Pérignon since 1668.

“Dom Pérignon is my favourite champagne”, she declares with a certain mischievious glint in her eye, just as Marilyn has often been know to say."

Ice Stones

2008-09-08T06:40:00.000-07:00

Clever.

But at £16 they are expensive and fairly pointless. A lot of drinks actually want a little bit of the ice to melt in order for the physical nature of the drink to change. For instance the Khymos blog suggests that adding ice alters the state of the whisky so that a new set of aromas emerge...

This is from the Mocha gifting website:

"Nordic Rock is mined from ancient Swedish pollution-free base rock. It is the purest way of cooling your drink - literally 'on the rocks'. Stone does not melt, which means no unclean water in your glass. They are also reusable making them very eco-friendly.

To use, simply place the stone ice cubes in the freezer for approximately one hour before use. For a normal glass, two or three Nordic Rocks will be fine. They give off their cold gradually and equally."

Heineken - Don't Drink and Drive

2008-09-08T06:32:00.000-07:00

Nice idea.

Veuve Cliquot NotCot Extravaganza

2008-09-08T03:38:00.000-07:00

I'm not going to post everything because it would take too long. But follow the relevant links and you'll see just how amazing this experience was for Jeam Aw from Not Cot.

First of all Veuve whisked Jean over to Paris from LA and provided her with a cool array of branded goodies in her hotel...

First port of call seems to have been a trip to see the Veuve Chateau... in an orange Bentley!

Loving the sat nav...

And then they had the most amazing demonstration of the recent Riva / Veuve collaboration - as they were taken on a gourmet river boat trip, with a champagne pairing meal.

The food and chapagne pairing looks awesome...

And they had another meal to celebrate the launch of the new Veuve ice bucket...

I've got 3 comments about this.

1. Veuve have done an awesome job - all of their ideas are inspiring and fit into the luxury lifestyle, champagne drinking experience. The stuff they have made and the people/brands they collaborate with are spot on. It all reflects well on Veuve and gets people like Jean talking about their brand.

2. Great idea to invite the likes of Jean to the Chateau. All the little extras such as writing pads and city guides show this is a brand with attention to detail. This is a very successful mechanic for generating PR.

3. I want Jean's job!

Two Fingers has a new look.

2008-09-04T16:39:00.000-07:00

It seems that the wire is all a buzz with Tequila news this week...

Heaven Hill Distilleries has yet another announcement- they have introduced a new package design for their Two Fingers Tequila line.

The new Two Fingers redesign includes a clear bottle and a more "streamlined" black label featuring a Blue Agave plant.

"We wanted to maintain the black iconography but make it more contemporary," said Reid Hafer, senior brand manager for Two Fingers at Heaven Hill.

Along with the new design, POS material has been developed to support the new look featuring the tagline, "It Takes Two".

The last revamp on the bottle was in 2004- here is what it used to look like

Quite an improvement.

Spicy Tequila

2008-09-03T15:30:00.000-07:00

So, long ago during my days at New York University we had this ritual. If you were still sober by midnight, you were forced to take a Prairie Fire shot. Tequila and Tabasco. Warm. Didn't taste good going down (or coming up, for that matter). I'm not really sure where this ritual stemmed from, but I definitely do not miss it. Well, it seems that some folks think that bottling this combination will help us NYU Alums live out our glory days.

The people at Heaven Hill Distlilleries, located in Bardstown, Kentucky have teamed up with the people from McIllhenny Co.- the maker of Tabasco and have created Prairie Fire in a bottle. Otherwise known as Tabasco Spicy Tequila.

The product will launch in 5 US markets and will carry a suggested retail price of $21.99 for a 750ml. The "Heat Up the Night" campaign will support the brand while the "Tabasco Hot Girls Promotion Team" (if we can find photos we will post them) will conduct events On-Premise and POP will appear in the Off-Premise.

I can't say that I'm anxious to run out and try this, but if anyone out there would like to sample and let the group know how the experience pans out, I wouldn't object.

Remy Martin Louis XIII Black Pearl

2008-09-02T02:48:00.000-07:00

From Luxist:

"A nice one-bedroom apartment in NYC rents for about $2,500/month. And for that same price you can get a shot -- yes, just a taste -- of Louis XIII Black Pearl Magnum cognac, a limited edition, natch, kept in a glass case and then offered exclusively at NYC's Rose Club at the Plaza hotel. The spirit, produced by Remy Martin, cannot be sampled anywhere else in the State of New York. The bottle, designed by Baccarat and hand-blown from black crystal, has not yet been uncorked since it was introduced in June. A recent Rose Club patron asked if he could buy the entire bottle, one of only 358 in the world. Rose Club manager Anthony Evangelista turned him down, and the man left without even tasting it. There are about 32 pours in the 1.75 liter bottle, meaning that the decanter contains $80,000 worth of cognac."

Here's some comments from the Daily News:

"This is why people in the world hate us. $80,000 for a bottle and $2500 big ones for a drink that is the price they charge in the hot azz desert. I remember the days of quarter waters (25-cent juice) and 50-cent sodas and four wings with fries from the Chinese spot all for under four dollars and fifty cents."

"Let us play a game to see what $80,000 G’s can get you; A house down south, a bachelors degree , three open heart surgeries, ten dates with the ex-governors girl friend, protection from the mob, fifth-teen hit-men, a bribe for a politician, hush money, five suits for mayor money bags, 40,000 hot dogs with every thing on it, one hundred overtime hours for city workers, eight years of season ticket for the Kicks ,and 160,000 jelly doughnuts."

"If I have 80G I would used it for something else."

Not necessarily positive, but it is being talked about!

If you have 6 minutes and want to find out how the Internet will develop watch this

2008-08-29T09:07:00.000-07:00

Ubiquity for Firefox from Aza Raskin on Vimeo.

Via Organic.

The Captian for President!

2008-08-28T12:43:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, we are in the midst of a Presidential Election Year here in the States. But what you may not be aware of, is there is a new candidate that has thrown his hat into the ring. That’s right, Captian Morgan is running for President- and he’s made The Democratic National Convention his first stop on the campaign trail.

Diageo has launched a faux campaign complete with Secret Service Men (and Women) the trusty Morganettes and of course, The Captian himself. They are the official wine and spirits company of the Republican National Convention and the preferred wine and spirits company of the Democratic National Convention.

The effort -- which is prominently promoted at a number of branded bars and lounges around the convention sites -- launched with a "Captain Morgan for President" Facebook page and a YouTube video in which Captain Morgan lays out his platform for the presidency.

In addition, Diageo has set up The Captain’s Corner in one of the media pavilions allowing Journalists access to a bevy of Diageo brands and snacks for the gullet

Hmmm, get them sauced, feed their bellies…..free publicity. Genius!

Diageo set to struggle despite current success

2008-08-28T09:23:00.000-07:00

Well done to Baker Street's very own Mr S Holmes for discovering this...

Don't Drink and Drive Idea

2008-08-28T03:11:00.000-07:00

Really interesting idea... But will it work? To be honest... anything that even remotely works is brilliant in this instance.

Via Fubiz.

Hornitos 2D Codes

2008-08-21T07:51:00.000-07:00

Hornitos is taking technology to the next level with the introduction of 2D Codes to the July issue of Playboy.

2D Codes are a Physical World Hyperlink that connects users to the internet through their mobile phone. The software is equipped to work on any camera mobile phone. All consumers have to do is download the free scanning software at m.hornitostequila.com and click a picture of the barcode. Once the barcode is scanned, the consumer will receive a free screensaver of Playboy’s Miss July. All they have to do is scan the ad to get the girl!

A full page ad and a 1/3 page insertion ran simultaneously.

Look out for more exciting and innovative ideas from Hornitos!

Buy Your Amigo Hornitos

2008-08-21T02:46:00.000-07:00

Hornitos Tequila have launched a new microsite BuyYourAmigoHornitos.com in the U.S. which allows consumers to buy their favourite Hornitos cocktail for a friend.

Legal purchase age consumers can now use their mobile phones (http://hornitos.mobi/) or the Hornitos site, BuyYourAmigoHornitos.com, to send a personalised note and prepaid gift card to friends.

Hornitos have partnered with BuyYourFriendADrink.com to build this innovative programme which allows gift recipients to receive their drink gift via email, gift card or text message. The mobile programme is the first ever mobile site that allows consumers to buy their friends drinks. With the text messaging capability, users can access their gifts via mobile phone even while at a participating bar or restaurant. Gift recipients can find out which bars and restaurants in their area accept the gift cards/codes either through the website or mobile site. The programme has launched with 115 participating bars and restaurants in 14 markets across the US and is open to any bar or restaurant that wants to join.

Sauza Brand Manager Antonio Portillo said “We’re pleased to help consumers share good times with friends through BuyYourFriendADrink.com. This exciting technology allows consumers to buy their friend a drink from across the bar or across the country. It will be sure to engage our technologically savvy consumers and increase brand awareness.”

Sensory Cocktails

2008-08-19T07:39:00.000-07:00

I've long been an admirer of Heston Blumenthal and am delighted to see someone embracing his ideas in the world of innovative bartending. See the New York Times article below for the full story.

" ALL I did, as usual, was order a drink. Which only partly explains why I found myself here, seated in a cordoned-off side room at Zeta, a plush, dusky, high-ceiling downtown night spot — holding a booze-filled pineapple and wearing a blindfold along with headphones hooked to a specially programmed iPod.

All the while, someone was spraying my face with what smelled like Hawaiian Tropic suntan oil.

Ladies and gentlemen, meet the world’s most elaborate cocktail garnish. The Tiki, the drink I ordered, is one of four sensory cocktails to make their debut this month at Zeta. They join au courant classics like a Ping Pong and Clover Club on the deliciously freewheeling cocktail menu, which also features a martini served on a bed of smoldering tea leaves and a bourbon-and-Coke “ice cream cone” forged in liquid nitrogen.

The sensory cocktails work like this: order the daiquiri, and you’re tucked into a semiprivate spot where you sip your drink blindfolded while listening to 18 minutes of Cuban music on an iPod. All the while, a waitress spritzes you with a cigar mist made by simmering crumbled cigars in water and simple syrup.

The idea, said Grant Collins, Zeta’s consulting mixologist, is “to heighten the link between the drink and the experience. Listening to the music makes your mind drift, and the blindfold heightens your sense of smell.” And the smoky mist? It’s a sensory trick to make you think you’re in Havana. Blind and piercingly alone, but still, you know, in Havana.

Mr. Collins cribbed his inspiration from Heston Blumenthal, the chef of the Fat Duck, a restaurant near London. That’s where Mr. Bluementhal created a seafood dish served with an iPod loaded with ambient ocean sounds.

Besides the Tiki, Zeta offers a sea breeze, with Blumenthalian wave sounds and a sea spray that leaves salt on one’s lips, and a martini equipped with a 1950s Rat Pack soundtrack. That last one is designed to evoke New York City, the capital of the cocktail experience — but where the virtual cocktail hasn’t arrived.

The question, Mr. Collins said, is whether all this makes your drink taste better.

For this drinker, the answer was, eh, not so much. I’m not sure that I even registered tasting it, overwhelmed as I was by the lab-rat sensations of being sequestered and sensitized, not to mention spritzed. Then again, meditation isn’t my bag — not even cocktail meditation.

“You have to almost will yourself to be transported,” Mr. Collins advised. “For us, it’s about creating the right environment for that to happen.” To that end, Mr. Collins toyed with using a heat lamp, to replicate the warmth of the tropical sun. But that idea was dropped. “Too many danger points,” he said."

Genius.

Malibu flip flop packs

2008-08-19T03:54:00.000-07:00

From just-drinks.com

Pernod Ricard has released a summer-based pack offer for its Malibu rum brand in the UK.

The company's UK unit said that it has invested £250,000 (US$480,745) in Malibu flip flop packs as part of its 'Get Your Island On' marketing campaign for the brand. The off-trade promotion, which contains a pair of branded ladies flip flops, will run until stocks last.

The campaign is part of the 'Get Your Island On' marketing campaign for Malibu, which will see Pernod Ricard UK invest £14m over the next two years. The campaign includes a £1.2m TV advertising campaign which ran throughout June and early July this year, as well as digital, press, radio, experiential marketing and sampling.

"We will be supporting (Malibu) extensively over the next two years with our new 'Get Your Island On' campaign," said Dan Reuby, customer development director at Pernod Ricard UK. "Our off-trade promotional flip flop packs ... have been selling particularly well during the recent hot weather spells."

Pernod launched 'Get Your Island On', the brand's first above-the-line campaign since Pernod acquired former owner Allied_Domecq in 2005, in May.

Winevertising

2008-08-18T07:16:00.000-07:00

From Springwise

"Encouraging people to organize their own wine tasting parties, 4xProeven (Tastingx4) combines a board game with a four-pack of wine.

The concept is simple: four small (0.375 litre) bottles of red wine are packaged in a carton that folds out to a board. Four blank stickers are included to hide the bottles' labels. A leaflet explains the basic elements of wine tasting: look, smell, taste and compare. It also describes the four single grape varieties included in the game. Players shuffle the bottles and start tasting. By comparing a wine's taste to the four descriptions, the objective is to guess which is Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir and Shiraz. Just launched in The Netherlands, 4xProeven is currently sold online for EUR 24.95 and by a small number of wine shops, and the company is planning to launch internationally soon.

While wine tasting games certainly aren't new, they generally include game elements only, not the wine itself. And here's where we think 4xProeven missed a great opportunity (or maybe they're working on it). Instead of including unbranded wines, partner with a well-known label and turn the game into a smart and simple way to tryvertise, getting customers to sample a variety of reds or whites while connecting with the brand. We're sure Springwise has a few readers at E&J Gallo and Jacob's Creek. Time to give this one a spin? ;-)"

Bombay Sapphire Glass - Botanical

2008-08-18T07:08:00.000-07:00

The winner of the annual Bombay Sapphire glass design constest is inspired by the botanicals in their gin. If this is the case their shouldn't be much of a design at all. The Beefeater master distiller once told me that Bombay Sapphire is the vodka of gins... it's not got much depth to it because they hardly use any botanicals at all.

Anyway, we love the glass design competition. And this year's winner looks as good as ever.

Find out more here.

Monkey Shoulder Illustrations

2008-08-18T07:02:00.000-07:00

From The Illustration Site:

"One of the world's most respected distillers, William Grant & Sons, has commissioned a series of illustrations from Jonathan Williams to help build an identity for a new triple malt whiskey called Monkey Shoulder.

Aimed at a younger generation, Monkey Shoulder challenges more traditional perceptions of the classic drink, rebranding it without losing any of its sense of heritage.

Monkey Shoulder is a vatting of three single malts (Balvenie, Glenfiddich and Kininvie), placing it somewhere between a blended and single malt. The smooth vanilla notes of Monkey Shoulder make it an ideal whisky for cocktails, drawing praise from critics and bar-tenders alike.

Williams can vouch for that personally: “I live about an hour from the distillery in the Highlands of Scotland so (unusually for me) I actually met the client and enjoyed a VIP tour of the distillery!”"

The Glenlivet XXV

2008-08-18T06:59:00.000-07:00

From Luxist

"Glenlivet has stepped up their game with the release of The Glenlivet XXV, a new premium 25-year-old whisky. The whisky is finished in first-fill sherry casks for two years for extra flavor and sweetness. The whisky has a notes of honey and malt with a fruity palate. Recently Malt Advocate tasted it and ranked it a 93. It comes in an impressive wooden gift box with a slab of limestone with the name inscribed on it. The box also includes a booklet detailing the history of the whisky and a certificate of quality. It will sell for $350 and will be available this fall."

Crowdsourced Bar launching in London

2008-08-18T06:49:00.000-07:00

From Outclubbing.com:

"Ever wanted to be involved in the nightlife industry, besides drinking and clubbing? I’m sure many of you would probably say ‘yes’, but you’re also probably thinking that you just don’t have the time, and more importantly the money to start your own bar or club.

OutClubbing.com has stumbled across a neat idea which would make the dream of owning your own venue a reality! Introducing MYOBar…

MYO stands for My, Your, Our, which is a bar that you can buy into; becoming a shareholder and member. You will be able manage this bar, along with other shareholders and have a say on the interior, themed nights, the name of bar, staff recruitment, designs, drinks, food and other ad-hoc ideas members may have. Unlike most shareholder schemes, MYObar intends to operate a 1 member, 1 vote policy, giving each person an equal say, no matter how many shares they have.

What does it cost?

MYObar are seeking to raise £750,000 to develop this bar and there are 5000 shares to be had, costing £150 each. You can buy as few or as many as you wish; over 300 have been sold already!

What now?

If you are interested, you can join their Facebook group which can be found here:

http://imperial.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2347268624

And if you want to buy into MYObar simply send an email to Karl, Jack & James at myyourourbar@googlemail.com"

Here's a press clipping from a London freesheet...

Would this be open to Beam or Publicis investing I wonder?

Absolut LA Feedback isn't so good!

2008-08-01T02:56:00.000-07:00

Absolut's new LA falvour launch is getting a fair amount of coverage from trend spotting sites... but some of the comments by the public aren't so positive.

Have a look at some of these remarks from Current.

Inspired by Los Angeles, so does that mean it's going to taste phony, desperate, will talk on and on about how it has something in development at a BIG studio, and is only going to be interested in me if I can do something for it?

they forgot to add botox and collagen to the product's flavor description.

Tastes like LA, Burns like a California wildfire.

It should really taste like Cigarretes, cocaine and a hint of meth, with hot peppers and maybe alcohol on it.

Whilst they aren't glowing... some are quite witty and none of them are negatively directed at Absolut. It all adds to tease our collective curiosity. And it is completely in line with the "spoofability" that Absolut's marketing has been famous for over the years.

Maybe the soundtrack to this campaign should be the Bran Van 3000 song: "Drinking in LA"

Absolut Los Angeles

2008-07-31T05:28:00.000-07:00

From the Dieline, via Not Cot:

"Starting today, everyone can have a taste of the LA lifestyle as the world's most iconic vodka introduces ABSOLUT LOS ANGELES, a limited-edition, city-inspired flavor honoring the City of Angels. Celebrating the city's trend-forward ideals, the bold, new flavor is made with an all-natural symphony of blueberry, acai berry, acerola cherry, and fruity notes of pomegranate. ABSOLUT LOS ANGELES will be available beginning in July at bars, restaurants, nightclubs and retailers nationwide.

"Through our 'In An ABSOLUT World' campaign, we challenge consumers to imagine their own ideal, and Los Angeles is one of the most idealistic places on earth," said Tim Murphy, Vice President of Marketing, The Absolut Spirits Company, Inc. "For this city-inspired flavor, we wanted to capture the opportunity that LA represents to so many - reaching for the stars and recognizing their dreams. ABSOLUT LOS ANGELES will evoke an inimitable new 'taste' that honors all the attributes that makes the City of Angels so exclusive and awe-inspiring - from the stunning packaging to the unique flavor profile, all wrapped inside the iconic ABSOLUT bottle."

Guinness Viral

2008-07-28T06:43:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Nigel for this!

Delamain - Le Voyage

2008-07-28T04:37:00.000-07:00

From Luxist:

"Delamain Le Voyage Cognac, the latest addition to the Delamain portfolio, recently picked up a new honor, being awarded "Best of the Best" 2008 Spirit by Anthony Dias Blue for Robb Report. Le Voyage is a blend of Grande Champagne cognacs from the Delamain cellars. It has aromas leather, tobacco, coffee and spice with the rich tastes of the grapes from the hillsides of the Grande Champagne region, aged for many years in the Delamain cellars. The cognac is housed in a Baccarat crystal decanter inside a dovetail leather traveling box. Le Voyage sells for $7,000."

Absolut LA

2008-07-28T04:28:00.000-07:00

Image from Stephen Witherden under Creative Commons

From Luxist:

"Anyone who has walked along the Hollywood Walk of Fame lately knows that certain stars have definitely seen better days. The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce has taken a new approach to raising funds to restore the Walk. They have created the Friends of the Walk of Fame initiative to restore the Walk of Fame before its 50th anniversary in two years and they've hooked their first big sponsor, Absolut Vodka.

Sponsors won't get an official star but according to the press release "sizable donations from corporate supporters will be acknowledged with a Friend of the Walk of Fame honorary star" which is described as a "new terrazzo piece that will be placed in the sidewalk, on private property, adjacent to the Walk of Fame." The Chamber presented Absolut with the first honorary star which will be located near the entrance to the Kodak Theatre, part of Hollywood & Highland Center on Hollywood Boulevard.

Certainly corporate sponsors are a familiar sight on baseball fields and other public landmarks but the LA Times reports that the news of Absolut's pseudo star isn't sitting well with everyone. Some see it as an affront to the tradition of honoring Los Angeles luminaries with their own piece of sidewalk space.

Absolut is also launching a new flavor, Absolut LA, a mix of "blueberry, acai berry, acerola cherry, and fruity notes of pomegranate" which will be available this month."

This follows last year's exciting launch of Absolut New Orleans - the marketing of which was far better than its slightly weird taste!

I wonder what city will come next after LA... maybe they will do a competition where you can submit your ideas for what your favourite city tastes like. e.g. London: the smell of rain on hot tarmac, or Birmingham: the taste of vindaloo.

I am sure we will see plenty more activity around this. The PR has only just begun.

Carling's iBeer is the most downloaded free application on the iPhone

2008-07-25T22:54:00.000-07:00

According to Faris, Carling's iPint / iBeer is the most downloaded free application for the new iPhone.

Very simple and a great talking point!

Snow Grouse Whisky

2008-07-22T14:49:00.000-07:00

From the Moodie Report:

"The makers of The Famous Grouse have unveiled the first Scotch whisky specially created to be served chilled straight from the freezer. The Snow Grouse will be made exclusively available to international travel retailers for the first six months and distributed through Maxxium Global Travel Retail.

The new addition to The Famous Grouse portfolio is aimed at consumers seeking something new and different.

The Snow Grouse, which carries a recommended duty free retail price of €19.99, represents one of two innovative additions to the range in the past 12 months. The Black Grouse, with its dark, sweet and gently smoky characteristics, was launched in October 2007.

Made from grain spirit and matured in oak casks before being gently chill filtered, the light and vanilla-sweet Snow Grouse whisky has a smooth taste. With a "sweet gloopy mouth-feel, it has a cool taste sensation when served seriously chilled", Maxxium said.

In keeping with The Famous Grouse portfolio, the new whisky is aptly named after another Scottish game bird - the snow grouse or ptarmigan (Lagopus mutus). Living in the highest mountains of the Highlands of Scotland, the snow grouse has been described as “the toughest bird in Britain”. In the summer the snow grouse has a mottled brown plumage, while in winter it takes on an extra layer of white feathers for warmth – becoming completely white – to help it survive in the frozen, snow-covered conditions."

All seems a bit strange to me.

Sauza Agave Cooking Challenge: Blueberry Pie

2008-07-22T10:48:00.000-07:00

We found an awesome book about cooking with agave nectar on Slashfood and have decided to cook a different recipe each month from it.

The book is called Baking with Agave Nectar and can be bought from Amazon.

Jenny bought the book so had the honour of cooking the first dish from the, now cherished, agave cooking book.

Rather than waffling on, I am just going to let the pictures do the talking...

Jenny's blueberry pie made with agave nectar was stunningly good. The rest of us have got our work cut out to top Jenny's opening gambit. Another fresh and unexpected use of agave from the Beam team. We are so passionate about our brands we even have brand themed cooking competitions at work!

Who's next guys?

Smirnoff Black Screenings

2008-07-10T02:08:00.000-07:00

Check out this cool invite for an exclusive screening of a classic film in asscociation with Smirnoff Black, very clever link with the Brand and venue. This sort of event could work really well for Sauza...

Join us at 8 o' clock this Wednesday night, 9 July

Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman in
CASABLANCA

Kick off with a classic Smirnoff Black® cocktail and delicious canapés, then sit back and relax in Bluebird's special screening roomTickets £20 per personincluding cocktail and canapés(£5 per person without refreshments)

Enjoy a pre- or post-screening meal in Bluebird Restaurant.Telephone 020 7559 1000 to book a movie or make a restaurant reservation

350 King's Road, London SW3 5UU

http://www.bluebird-restaurant.co.uk/

A DISTINCTIVELY SMOOTH VODKAMade in the EU. The Smirnoff and Smirnoff Black No. 55 words and associated logos are Trade Marks © The Smirnoff Co. 2008

Sets and the City

2008-07-10T01:58:00.000-07:00

Check out this fantastic piece of experential marketing from Haagen-Dazs.

Source: Contagious Newsletter

08/07/2008

It appears to be experiential week here at Contagious, and in the brief bursts of sunshine punctuating the torrential rain we’ve been out and about investigating how different brands are bringing themselves to life in the real world. First up is Haagen-Dazs’s delightful ‘Sets and the City’ project, which brought a specially created tennis court, a giant screen showing all of the action from the Wimbledon tennis championships, some comfy beanbags, a team of beauticians, some free champagne and lots of limited edition Raspberries and Meringue ice cream to the city of London’s Broadgate Market. When Contagious had recovered from the sugar high induced by scoffing three tubs of the stuff down in as many minutes, we caught up with Abigail Marr, brand manager at Haagen-Dazs, and Gemma Newland, MD of Stream\ who masterminded the event, to get the low down.

Contagious: How does this initiative go beyond mere sampling, and who are you targeting?

Abigail: Sets and the City was all about creating an entertaining experience around the Haagen-Dazs brand. An experience that not only resonated with our consumers but also left them with a great, lasting impression. Haagen-Dazs is known to its advocates as the iconic, indulgent treat and what could be more indulgent than eating the new Limited Edition flavour whilst watching this year’s Wimbledon with a glass of champagne and a complimentary manicure?

Are you pleased with the results?

Such brand experience initiatives allow us to hold a conversation with our consumer that is a lot more relevant and progressive than relying purely on more traditional, one-way channels. It gives us a chance to talk to the consumer about our new news and allows us to listen and understand their take on the brand… and the overwhelming news from Sets and the City was that the new limited edition is the perfect way to indulge this summer. Over 25,000 samples are the tangible testimony but I only had to step into the arena to hear the moans of delight!

From a brand-building perspective, what do you think the benefit is to a client like Haagen-Dazs?

Gemma: For a brand like Haagen-Dazs which is a pleasure product, something you indulge in and treat yourself with, experiential makes complete sense because it’s a way of giving more pleasure to the consumer. If we create an experience for them that they enjoy, want to talk about, share with their friends and will keep as a great memory – what better way to market a product? Good experiential activity turns consumers into brand advocates. As of last week the numbers suggest that over 25,000 people experienced the event. On the basis that in general you tell around 7 people if you have had a great time, that’s 150,000 brand advocates in one week - before we start analysing the impact of the PR, digital activity and above the line press support.

At Stream we believe that if a brand is partnering with a pre existing property like Haagen-Dazs and Wimbledon then the presence of the brand should make the experience a better one for the consumer. It should enhance it, or it shouldn’t be there. So Sets in the City was about giving city workers a better way to watch Wimbledon, a truly pleasurable experience that also allowed us to sample the new flavor in a meaningful way.

http://www.setsandthecity.com/

Berocca Blogger Relief Pack

2008-07-08T02:07:00.000-07:00

A week or so ago I entered the Berocca blogger relief competition and somehow sneaked through and won. They sent me a blogger relief pack which is full of things to clutter up my desk a bit more. All of it themed around stress busting...

Here's the blurb from their site:

"Blogging can be stressful. We live in a world where millions of people
read and demand new content from websites every day.

The Blogger Relief Pack comes to the rescue of those tired minds. Be part of the Blogger Relief campaign to rescue those we rely on to feed our insatiable hunger for the weird wide web.

If you’ve got a blog, fill in your details and you could receive a Blogger Relief Pack from Berocca. Keep on blogging and we’ll feature some of the best blogs we see on this page in the coming weeks."

So in my pack I got:

A tube of Berocca and a branded glass

A stress pen holder

A stress relief button that triggers an explosion on my computer screen

In addition to this was a stress ball that has been causing chaos and a device that makes the sound of popping bubble wrap. Odd. But fun.

It's a great idea and has introduced me to Berocca. Having never tried it before this programme has transformed me into a bit of a brand fan... I've already written about Berocca three times now. Not to mention I have now got Berocca related goodies strewn around my desk.

Importantly, I opted in to this promotion and have been given the chance to opt out. This fits in very well with Seth Godin's marketing principles. I wonder if similar schemes could work for our brands?

So what is the best thing since sliced bread?

2008-07-07T05:32:00.000-07:00

So what is the best thing since sliced bread? Click the link below - the debate rages on the 80th anniversary of sliced bread. Contenders anything from the box of wine, to spray on skin - you decide!

http://www.news.com.au/feature/ranked/0,,5017303,00.html

Source: The Times online

Fotorama - Indiana Jones Event

2008-07-04T04:14:00.000-07:00

A while ago Fotorama very kindly invited us all to a private screening of Indiana Jones. They are a fixed fee promotions agency who have handled some of our projects in the past.

They didn't hold back and the whole event from invitations through to the screening itself was fantastic. We even had follow up goodie bags!

Here's a quick snapshot of the Inidana Jones kit that Ed was sent as one of the team leaders...

We all just wanted to say thank you to Fotorama for such an awesome evening.

July 4th Champagne

2008-07-04T02:07:00.000-07:00

From Coolhunting:

"Independence Day extravaganzas, election hoopla and Olympic action—'tis the season for Americana and celebration. Joining designers from Milan to Middle America who are touting the red, white and blue as the aesthetic of the moment on and off the runway, Pommery's Pop America Champagne in pint-size packaging makes for a perfect pour and party favor.

Designed with stars streaming across a blue background and red and white stripes leading up to the silver bottleneck, the bottle design (as well as the more candy-apple sweet, less traditional brut taste) is an all-American concept through and through. While it may seem quixotic to appeal to American sentiment, long before the Statue of Liberty, Americans drank the French beverage of celebration. Reportedly, George Washington ordered six baskets of champagne for import during his presidency.

For seasons spent abroad in the French countryside, a visit to Pommery estates is recommended. Beyond the usual vineyards, the fifth annual Pommery Experience showcases L’Art En Contemporain Europe, an exhibition designed to reflect the emerging identity of a changing Europe. The artists created much of the work after they visited the picturesque grounds Domaine Pommery.

Pop America is available at Sherry-Lehmann starting at $15 per mini bottle."

Heat Map for Planning Nights Out

2008-07-03T01:37:00.000-07:00

From Springwise:

"Deciding when and where to go out on a Friday night just got easier for San Francisco consumers with a new, mobile map application that automatically shows where the hotspots are.

Sense Networks' CitySense, which just entered alpha, gives users a real-time view of how busy the city is as well as where the busiest places currently are. There's no need to sign up--users simply download the free application onto their Blackberry (iPhone support is coming soon) and view a "heat" map of activity throughout the area, linking to Yelp or Google to zero in for more information about the hotspots. A billion points of GPS and wifi positioning data from the last few years complement the real-time feeds underpinning the technology, which operates on Sense Networks' Macrosense platform. (Macrosense, which is designed for analyzing massive amounts of aggregate, anonymous location data in real-time, is already being used in the business world for selecting store locations and understanding retail demand, for example.) Focusing on nightlife, the next version of CitySense will be able to tell users not just where the activity is, but where people like them are concentrated. By tracking and comparing users' history and preferences, it will be able to show them where they're most likely to find people with similar tastes at any given moment. As a result, each person's nightlife map will look a little different, and will display a unique top hotspot list. (The personalized feature is optional, however, and any such data can be deleted at any time, the company promises.)

Privacy issues aside, it seems safe to say that this is just the beginning of the mashups made possible by GPS-enabled cellphones. How long before this comes to other cities—and gets ad support?"

It's an evolution of the idea that people only vaguely plan nights out. Gone are the days of organising venues and timings and sticking to them. Socialising is much more flexible now.

Carharrt Demolition

2008-07-03T01:30:00.000-07:00

In the spirit of Carharrt's brand they have taken the opportunity of having some fun demolishing their old site. Great example of brand behaviour even if the execution isn't mind blowing. Neat idea.

This is the extract from Three Minds where I found it:

"Apparently the Carhartt website has undergone a redesign and they are enlisting their users to help destroy the old site. The implementation of this could have been a little stronger, with more tools to use, but I like the concept of having some fun with the old website to introduce the new one. Once you destroy the old homepage, you get to see the new one."

Next time we update a site, or tear one down and start again this is worth keeping in mind.

C U L8R, Alcopops

2008-07-02T05:45:00.000-07:00

From Three Minds:

"A little-noticed story from Anheuser-Busch last week given the focus on the presumptive InBev takeover: last week A-B announced that it will stop selling alcoholic energy drinks.

Relenting to pressure from anti-underage drinking activists and state attorneys general, they are pulling the plug on the tiny Bud Extra and Tilt brands (shortly after I got married, I used to see this ad every day on my commute). Several brewers are accused of designing and marketing "alcopops" specifically for the under-21 market, and ultimately it seems A-B has decided that the controversy was not worth the minimal gains.

While it will have little effect on A-B's business, it's a big deal for category leader Miller and their Sparks brand. I've tried Sparks and last year I reviewed Sparks.com, which seemed to give an insight into their product strategy:

"Navigating the site definitely feels like stepping into the mind of a teenage boy - air guitar contests, skateboards, doodles - but in a bold move, no shots of attractive girls. Is it specifically targeted at underage drinkers?"

If the Center for Science in the Public Interest and New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo's case against SAB Miller goes forward, we will soon have our answer."

Interactive Cross Track Ads for the Tube

2008-07-01T03:25:00.000-07:00

From Londonist:

"As of today, giant cinema-style screens have been installed opposite platforms at Piccadilly Circus, Euston, Bank, Liverpool Street and Bond Street stations to bombard you with cutting-edge advertising intended to 'enhance' your journey.

The system, called XTP, is centrally controlled so that advertising folk can decide what you need to see at different times of the day: commute to work with Sky News, get out to lunch with the trailer for Kung-Fu Panda and go home to Sky Movies or Nestle. Clever.

Disingenously, the Marketing Director for CBS Outdoor claims that:

The launch of XTP is about entertaining the three and half million passengers using the Tube each day.

Um. No. It's about pushing advertising in the faces of a captive audience. One that can quite capably choose to zone out the tube poster ads or use them as reading material on the way home but one that would probably prefer to escape from flashing images on a digital screen for half an hour or so each day.

At least they're silent. We're thankful for small mercies."

This certainly isn't opt in. Flashy and innovative it might well be. But a good thing for commuters? Unlikely.

Co-Creation Festival From Tennents Lager

2008-06-26T09:42:00.000-07:00

Tennents have come up with a great way of staging a festival... set up a web 2.0 website and let the fans decide how to spend the £150,000 of cash.

Here's a lift from their about page...

"Revolutionise Scotland’s live music scene – artists, locations, venues, ticket prices: you decide.

The Tennent's Mutual is transforming Scotland’s live music landscape by switching influence from the hands of the industry, into the heart of the music community.

By encouraging music lovers to invest its annual music budget, The Tennent’s Mutual is empowering Scotland’s gigging enthusiasts to own and control a new music agenda: for music fans, by music fans.

We’re putting our money where our mouth is: Tennent’s have donated a start-up fund of £150k for 2008, with a view to enabling you to devise and programme a series of live shows in Scotland in October / November this year. And the process starts right now!

All ticket income generated from The Tennent’s Mutual shows 2008 will be reinvested to increase next year’s budget for the project. This ensuing sum will be further fortified by an annual donation from Tennent’s Lager’s music budget. As for how said money is spent – that’s up to you.

The Tennent's Mutual is electrifying the live music landscape. Its scope is vast. And it's in your hands.

Use the left-hand menu bar for the lowdown on getting involved, plus lots more info on The Tennent's Mutual."

What a fresh idea for a festival.

Heineken Keg - Age Checker

2008-06-26T05:12:00.000-07:00

How boring it is having to use LPA/LDA pages on booze sites that make you input your date of birth. I know it has to be done but it's never done very creatively.

Heineken have bucked this trend by using the format below which means you only have to click 3 times to get into the site. Easy. And smart too.

Have a look at the image below or better still visit their site.

McDonald's - Open all night

2008-06-26T05:08:00.000-07:00

I found this on I believe in advertising and thought it was very clever. Nice sizzle.

BAR.08

2008-06-26T03:08:00.000-07:00

BAR Show 08 maintained its legendary status demonstrating luxury drinks brands, premium beers, essential new ingredients and other specialist bar services. This year, the Show offered a more focused approach to the different sectors within premium hospitality by introducing BAR Build and BAR Menu to run alongside the traditional BAR Show. Here are some of the highlights...

Although Beam did not have a stand at the show this year, Hornitos was represented at La Embaja da de Tequila, where Tomas Estes, Julio Bermejo and Phil Bayly hosted a tequila class featuring virtual tours, videos and tutored tastings.

The demo bar harnessed the skills and creativity of bartenders from across the globe. People gathered at the action packed arena to discover unique ways to spice up their cocktail offering.

Inflatable Red Bull dome used to promote Red Bull Cola

Frangelico took a new approach to sampling with their Frangelico ice cream, a refreshing change.

The Vedett stand was in fact a camper van. People were invited inside to relax and enjoy an ice cold bottle of Vedett. As a takeaway Vedett were producing personalised bottles. People queued to have their photograph taken in the Vedett booth which was then printed onto the bottle label and transferred onto the back of the bottle. A nice idea.

http://www.barshow.co.uk/

Berocca's Blogger Relief Pack is a great idea...

2008-06-26T03:02:00.000-07:00

so long as I get one!

"Blogging can be stressful. We live in a world where millions of people
read and demand new content from websites every day.

The Blogger Relief Pack comes to the rescue of those tired minds. Be part of the Blogger Relief campaign to rescue those we rely on to feed our insatiable hunger for the weird wide web.

If you’ve got a blog, fill in your details and you could receive a Blogger Relief Pack from Berocca. Keep on blogging and we’ll feature some of the best blogs we see on this page in the coming weeks."

It's a great mechanic and a very well targeted initiative. Seth and co would be proud.

Visit Berocca's site here.

A novel vending machine...

2008-06-25T02:02:00.000-07:00

Article sourced from this week's Contagious Newsletter.
____________________________________________________________________________________

Now this may sound like a slightly unlikely scenario, but just in case you ever find yourself with $20k in loose change burning a hole in your pocket, then we suggest you get yourself over to Shibuya Station in Tokyo, where Smart has set up a giant vehicle vending machine...

Ok, so this doesn't actually dispense cars, but it does pop-out small canisters containing brochures for the cars along with sheets of stickers showing the various colour options. Also, as we would expect for the highly connected Japanese market, the literature directs users to the Smart website, playsmart.jp, not via a written URL, but via a QR code, which when photographed with a mobile phone camera, links through to the digital portal.

Once on the website, visitors can then 'play smart' - an addictive application which allows you create your own smart car with a variety of funky paint jobs and graphics, before racing it around a series of 3D circuits. As you progress through the levels, your interactivity is rewarded with more customisable options for your car.

Once you are satisfied with your level of 'pimp', you can then submit your design along with a user name and in doing so, add your creation to the colourful swarm of Smart Cars on the home page. However (and this is where it gets really good), to finish things off, you can then print out a colour net of your vehicle, to construct a proper miniature 3D model!

Smart has clearly identified its audience with this delightful integrated assault on the Japanese market. The vending machine and use of QR codes pander nicely to the desire for instant gratification, whilst the online gaming function will no-doubt be welcomed with tech-savvy, Japanese arms. Round this off with an cute, low-fi way to turn your digital design into a real-world reward and we'd say it's a winner!

www.playsmart.jp

In an emergency

2008-06-24T06:44:00.000-07:00

I saw this on the tube after the alcohol ban came into effect. Very cool piece of guerilla marketing!

Moonshine Media Private view sponsored by Hornitos

2008-06-24T03:16:00.000-07:00

Click here to view presentation...

| View | Upload your own

Urban Winery

2008-06-19T08:05:00.000-07:00

From Springwise:

"When we first covered San Francisco-based Crushpad back in 2005, the idea of a winery in an urban centre was surprising. Crushpad has since blossomed, and now a like-minded contender on the opposite end of the nation is picking up on the notion and combining it with a wine bar.

Due to open this fall, City Winery will combine a wine bar and event space with a fully operational winery in the heart of Soho, New York City. The private-label winery—apparently the city's first—will let consumers choose their favourite grape, consult with City Winery's master winemaker and then crush, ferment, bottle and label their own bottles of wine. The company will have the capacity to make about 300 barrels of wine in its first year, and 200 of those will be dedicated to a limited set of members, who will have access to City Winery's state-of-the-art equipment and professional team. Grape varietals will be sourced from vineyards in California, Oregon, Washington State, New York, Chile and Argentina under strict temperature control, and customers will be able to work with City Winery's specialists in person or online to customize their barrel, participating as much or as little as they like in the process. Membership is available on three levels, beginning at USD 5,000 annually plus the cost of grapes, barrels and labelling for about 250 bottles of wine. Wine classes are also included, as is the opportunity to trade bottles with other members; wine sales, however, are prohibited. About a third of City Winery's barrels have already been sold, according to its site.

City Winery's venue side, meanwhile, features a flexible space that can accommodate up to 200 people seated or 400 standing, with an in-house stage and sound system. A full catering kitchen is onsite to serve the venue's multiple dining and tasting rooms, while the wine bar will have more than 50 wines available by the glass each night. Through City Winery's VinoFile membership program, customers can track their wine consumption and get related suggestions from the on-site sommeliers and winemakers. A special cheese bar from Greenwich Village-based Murray's Cheese, meanwhile, will be manned by a full-time expert to create the appropriate wine pairings from a selection of over 30 cheeses. City Winery also plans to create unique pairings of private concerts with such delicacies as wine and chocolates, mushrooms or truffles, port or scotch.

Frequent Springwise readers will undoubtedly notice the way City Winery's efforts tap into the customer-made and still made here trends, while offering consumers some much-sought-after status skills to boot. Will City Winery follow in Crushpad's footsteps and relax its rule prohibiting wine commerce among its customers? We'll keep you posted. In the meantime, one to watch!"

Veuve Cliquot Riva Partnership

2008-06-19T07:34:00.000-07:00

From NotCot:

"Classic Italian yacht maker, Riva, (yes, the ones that you can stick a Lamborghini engine in) teams up with Veuve Clicquot in their latest beautiful design collaboration, that makes me dream of living the dolce vita lifestyle, and has me desperately yearning to hop a plane back to Italy to relax on Lago di Como.

They have launched La Grande Dame by Riva Collection which includes three products in mahogany, chrome and leather - the Cruise Collection, Cruiser Bag, and ice bucket ~ the Cruise Collection contains 4 bottles of La Grande Dame 98, 2 magnums of La Grande Dame 88, 6 champagne flutes Riedel and 6 water tumblers, plates, table mats and cutlery ~ the Cruiser Bag contains a bottle of La Grande Dame 98 and two champagne flutes. Full photo spread to help you fantasize about the Riva/Veuve Clicquot lifestyle on the next page… as well as some background on the incredible story of Riva… and i found some amazing original sketches of the various Riva boats over the last 40 years worth taking a peek at!

p.s.
no, i’m not condoning drinking and boating ~ have a designated driver?

And on a side note ~ for those of you unfamiliar with Riva… to be honest it was vaguely familiar with it, and upon a call to my dad, i’ve suddenly spent the last few hours flashing back to the 70’s hearing his tales about Riva’s in their prime, family friend, Gino Gervasoni, who was partner to Carlo Riva since 1950 and took over in 1971, how the owner of some of the hottest Singapore nightclubs now used to be the main Riva rep for all of asia… so, surprisingly, i must say, one of the awesome perks to running this site, is getting a chance to find out more of the secrets in my parent’s pasts!

As for Riva - the story dates back to 1842 Lago di Como (see the full story at the bottom of the post) ~ It stays in the family generation after generation ~ they start mass producing in the 50’s as waterskiiing begins to take off ~ and it really becomes seen as the Ferrarri/Lamborghini of the sea in the 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s when they capture the attention of the film world (yes that’s Brigitte Bardot in ‘68 in the bottom left of the top image) ~ in the 70’s they introduce Fiberglass production ~ in 1969 Carlo Riva sells the yard to the American company Whittaker ~ and Gino Gervasoni, his partner since 1950 takes his place ~ in 1991, Rolls Royce takes control of the company and Gervasoni (married to Carlo Riva’s sister) steps down, ending the family legacy with the company ~ and in 2000 Italian Yacht powerhouse, Ferretti, takes over and continues to run Riva today. Going through the history in pictures is a fascinating quick study on the history and evolution of the luxury/speed boat industry, and the images and stories of the 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s seem like such a romantic, nostalgic, fun era to have missed out on!

1) Cruise Collection: a “made to measure” piece and costs $80,000 - comes with 4 bottles of La Grande Dame 98, 2 magnums of La Grande Dame 88, 6 champagne flutes Riedel and 6 water tumblers, plates, table mats and cutlery.

2) Cruiser Bag: Limited Edition piece (only 300 pieces available) - includes a bottle of La Grande Dame 98 and two champagne flutes. Available from July and costs $425

From a design standpoint, i can’t not share some of the gorgeous sketches of Riva’s boats as well!

I love this “myth” of Riva:

The Riva myth starts on the banks of Lake Como, in Laglio, in 1842. One Spring day a fisherman arrives from Sarnico, a village on Lake Iseo in the province of Bergamo. Stunned by how the young Pietro Riva, born in Laglio on 12 March 1822, is repairing his boat that has been damaged by a load of bricks, the visitor proposes he go to Sarnico to repair two boats that have been damaged by the Oglio River bursting its banks and throwing them against the rocks on the river bed. Covering the seventy miles that separate the two lakes marks Pietro’s emancipation and the birth of Riva’s history.

Pietro’s skill is noticed once again in a wooden hut on the River Oglio and his ability as carpenter finds an environment willing to offer him boats both to repair and build. The first commission he receives is for a “fishing boat and Comacine type rowing boat”, probably a streamline “inglesina” for one, two and three rowers. The young Riva is able to set himself up and, ten years later, marry Lucrezia Taroni. They have five children: Angelo, Francesco, Ernesto, Erminia and Luigi.

Ernesto is sent to Laglio to learn the trade and on returning to Sarnico joins his father as a skilled carpenter. He senses engines are the future and proposes they build larger models. A new yard is needed, built on the other side of the bridge over the River Oglio: it is the so-called “tesone”, due to the particular type of roof. Business increases rapidly.

In 1881 Ernesto Riva marries Carolina Malighetti, with whom he has six children: Francesco, Angelo, Serafino, Mauro, Anna and Pierina. In the meantime Ernesto is commissioned to make the first motorboat. Success encourages him to build one of his own. He proposes the first tourist trips on the lake with this boat that he calls Sarnico. In particular the trip to Montisola, the largest lake-island in Europe, includes a visit to the shipyard at lunchtime. Mrs. Riva’s kitchen turns into a restaurant that honours the local gastronomic tradition and livens up holidays in particular."

Another great example of Veuve Cliquot's PR/Blogging design programme. As ever a very well matched partnership that adds to their premium image and gets Veuve talked about.

akdoV raeB naissuR

2008-06-16T10:55:00.000-07:00

From Adverteyes

"Lowe Bull in South Africa, created a "propaganda" poster for Russian Bear Vodka that was placed on the walls facing bathroom mirrors in pubs and clubs. At first glance, the writing appeared to be in Cyrillic Alphabet (probably meaning nothing), but when looked at through the mirror, the letters reversed to read in plain English: Real "Men Don't Drink and Drive." A nice sort of a mirror game, that can surprise somebody when first seen, probably making him think he drank too much ;-)

Simple and effective creative method, for a social interest message."

Neat way to amplify a simple creative message. Not sure what comes next thought. There's only so much mirror writing you can do?

Thanks to Thesoni for the image.

Hennessey VSOP x Devilock Palm Boy

2008-06-16T10:47:00.000-07:00

From Freshness Mag

"French lux cognac label Hennessy, along with DEVILOCK, will launch a temporary concept store in the capital city of Taiwan on the first week of July. By amalgamating luxury concepts and urban styles, both labels will offer a commemorative products - a limited edition PALMBOY figure with every purchase of Hennessy V.S.O.P. cognac. This offer will start this Friday, June 13th till July 1st at all participating Hennessy retailers in Taiwan. In addition, each buyer will have the chance to participate the VIP party/grand opening of Hennessy x DEVILOCK Taipei City Concept Store in July. More information to come in the near future."

Reminds me a lot of the "Fast" that CP+B created for VW Golf GTI fans in the States. They landed up selling for $800 on Ebay. I wonder whether Hennessy will have the same success? Or whether people will be as baffled as I am about how much they are cheapening their brand.

It goes to show that objects of sociablity, or ooze, as Hugh Macleod would call them, do get picked up and talked about.

Diva Bar- Boston, Massachusetts

2008-06-13T07:56:00.000-07:00

Check out this cool bar in the US article sourced from:

http://www.thememagazine.co.uk/

It’s enough to make most other projects look creativelybland. Covered entirely in cell-like, bulbous LED panels,Diva Lounge in Boston (Massachusetts, not Lincolnshire) hasbeen constructed to evoke a surreal, cloud-like experience.The other-worldly design, by Studio Luz Architects in Boston,continues with bathroom pods, the kind not seen since Sketch, in a tactile ‘goose bump’ finish.More down-to-earth elements serve as a foil to all this modernity, with worm-eaten, disease-killed wood used as the bar itself, as well as an underlit veneer elsewhere, creating an intriguing porous skin on surfaces.Originally, the aim had been for LED panels that would change colour slowly and subtly, but this proved too expensive, so the colours are fixed and grouped according to where customers will sit.Nevertheless, it’s innovative to see lighting forming the basisfor an entire design rather than simply augmenting more conventional stylings, and represents a complete transformation for the former retail space that presented a challenge by being so long and thin (90ft by 14ft). The bar’s owners have refused to say how much it has cost.

Grey Goose Summer Cockatils

2008-06-12T10:54:00.000-07:00

From Luxist:

"Grey Goose, the super-premium vodka blended and bottled in the celebrated Cognac region of Western France, has come up with some suitably chic new summer cocktails for refreshing oneself in high style. Grey Goose Master Mixologist Nick Matoune foraged at local greenmarkets and farm stands for fresh ingredients including fruits, herbs and berries for his latest concoctions: The L'Orange Carlyle Cocktail, Le Citron Kirby, La Poire Goldenrod, Pink Cadillac, and Heather 81. "I use freshly made, freshly squeezed, freshly picked ingredients for most of my drinks, which is not as complicated as it sounds," Matoune tells Luxist - a philosophy we espouse ourselves. "These drinks are crisp and refreshing and highlight the natural bounty of summer. The simplicity of the ingredients belies the layers of complexity inherent in their subtle, natural flavors." See the gallery for photos and recipes and get ready for some seriously mouthwatering mixology."

Bacardi Mojito

2008-06-12T10:52:00.000-07:00

From Luxist:

"We could hardly be called big fans of pre-mixed drinks, so we were not overly enthusiastic when a bottle of Bacardi's new "ready to serve" Classic Mojito cocktail first arrived. Its atypical clean design and high-quality ingredients - Bacardi Superior rum, the kind they've been making since 1862, and natural mint and lime flavorings - softened us a little, however, so in the spirit of journalistic inquiry we decided to give it a try.

We love Mojitos but if you've every tried making 'em for 12 or more ravenously thirsty guests -- as we have on more than one occasion, exhausting the local supply of mint, limes and patience in the process - you'll realize the appeal of such a product if done properly, and we were pleasantly surprised by this one.

We think the late, great Kingsley Amis would approve, especially as he advocated expediency in matters of dispensing drinks to several people at once. Take heed of the following however: crushed ice is essential as is fresh mint and lime for the sake of verisimilitude. A quarter of a lime and a sprig of mint per drink should do it, a fraction of what the handmade version calls for, and there's no need to get muddled."

Veuve Sponsors Polo in NYC

2008-06-12T10:51:00.000-07:00

From Luxist:

"On Saturday, renowned French champagne house Veuve Clicquot staged the first polo match in Manhattan in 70 years. The match, between two North American Polo League (NAPL) teams - Ralph Lauren's Black Watch, captained by Polo model Nacho Figueras, and Asprey's Skeeterville, captained by Will Johnston - was played on Governor's Island, the 172-acre former Army base on Manhattan's southern tip. New York is often cited as the birthplace of American polo c.1876, and Army officers played the sport on Governor's Island until just before the onset of World War II in 1941. Black Watch bested Asprey 10 - 6 in the inaugural match of the Veuve Cliquot Manhattan Polo Classic. Veuve Clicquot has long supported polo in Europe, and since last year other parts of the U.S. as well, such as the Greenwich Polo Club in Connecticut."

Prince Charles Visits Laphroaig

2008-06-12T10:49:00.000-07:00

From Luxist:

"Yesterday Prince Charles and Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, paid a visit to the home of his favorite Scotch whisky, the Laphroaig distillery on Islay. Laphroaig, established in 1815, is one of the richest, smokiest single malts and one of the very best Scotches ever produced. It holds a Royal Warrant from the Prince of Wales, which he confirmed while there, and bears his heraldic three-feather badge on its label. The kilt-clad Charles and Camilla - who are known as by their local title, the Duke and Duchess of Rothesay, while traveling in Scotland - toured the distillery, learned about (and leant a hand in) its production and nosed whiskies of different ages. The Prince also signed two barrels of maturing spirit and an ultra-rare 40-year-old bottle of Laphroaig, one of only a handful left in the world, all to be auctioned off for charity. The 40-year-old was worth about $5,000 before he applied the royal signature. The proceeds from the auctions will go to the charities of Charles' choice."

7 Deadly Sins Glasses

2008-06-12T10:30:00.000-07:00

Holy hell as Scott would say. This is awesome!

Hamilton Design have created these brilliant 7 Deadly Sins themed glasses. I can barely express how badly I want a set. Druel...

Pride

Sloth

Wrath

Envy

Gluttony

Greed

Lust

If anyone is listening... can I have a set please?!

Via Boing Boing

Martini serves up UK on-trade campaign

2008-06-06T07:18:00.000-07:00

4 June 2008 | Source: just-drinks.com editorial team

Martini is launching its first UK on-trade campaign in 15 years offering fruit juice-based serves for its three existing variants as well as launching a new addition to its stable.

The £2million marketing campaign, which kicks off 4 June, is fronted by Natalie Imbruglia to launch the new rosé Martini Rosato variant.

The new serves will be promoted as long drinks and pitchers across bars and restaurants nationwide, and include Martini Rosato with pomegranate juice, Martini Bianco and Martini Extra Dry with apple juice and Martini Rosso with cranberry juice.

The campaign will also include on-trade activation in over 2,000 premium venues including All Bar One, Browns restaurant, Ha Ha, Pitcher & Piano and Slug & Lettuce from 10 June.

Liam Newton, Martini's director of marketing said: "Martini is no longer about lemonade, it's about long drinks and pitchers mixed with refreshing fruit juices that we believe will truly reinvigorate Martini's on trade performance.

"Not only are the fruit juice mixes on trend, but the new Britvic pomegranate juice makes offering the serve practical, even for lower throughput venues."