Coverage Continues at Alcohol/Tobacco II
ProHipHop's coverage continues in the Alcohol/Tobacco II category.
|
|
Headlines to Your Site or Blog: Widgetbox MuseStorm Widget ProHipHop Network |
Hip-Hop News Plus Tupac Shakur Info |
ProHipHop's coverage continues in the Alcohol/Tobacco II category.
The Candy Store is organizing the Liquid Octagon Experience on June 22nd and 23rd in New York at the Jacob Javits Center.
From the press release:
"The Liquid Octagon Experience will be the first convention of its kind to marry the alcohol and beverage industry with the urban community. The Liquid Octagon Experience's goal is to aid the liquor and spirits' industry in finding new ways to conduct business with the urban market...."
"The concept of hosting a party in an arena where people of urban descent, bar managers as well as restaurateurs, could mingle, discover and indulge in different brands, as well as purchase wholesale for their perspective businesses, was a fresh and exciting idea that was concocted with the notion to bring success in two separate industries."
Little Jonathan Winery Homepage
Since there's no information on the Little Jonathan Winery site and Idolator points out that the claims that Lil Jon is behind it are coming from gossip sites, I figured I should check out what I could.
The domain littlejonathanwinery.com is registered to Damion Hickman of Damion Hickman Design so I called those folks and it turns out they're the designers of the label and the webiste but that's the extent of their involvement with this project. Their responsibility for the web design also explains their registration of the domain.
Apparently Damion Hickman was designing labels for a winery or wineries prior to launching his own company and Lil Jon's camp found out about him via word of mouth. Though Damion Hickman Design does other forms of design, their online portfolio includes numerous examples of their wine labels for different companies.
So, yeah, Lil Jon's going upscale with the Little Jonathan Winery and that's a good look.
Via Blogs Is Watching.
Related ProHipHop Coverage:
BME Click Clothing: Lil Jon's Upcoming Fashion Line
Drinks Americas Logo
Dr. Dre and Drinks Americas announced yesterday that they have "formed a partnership to identify, develop, and market premium non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages."
However, so far they're just talking the hard stuff and it sounds promising, especially since their first produce will be cognac:
"The partnership's first premium beverages will be a super premium cognac selection, followed by a unique new to market sparkling vodka (which is now being crafted). Drinks Americas and Dr. Dre also plan to enter the growing imported premium tequila category."
This partnership grew from the agreement between Drinks Americas and Interscope/Geffen/A&M announced last summer and appears to be the first artist deal from that relationship though Willie Nelson is associated with parent company Universal Music Group via Lost Highway Records under Island Def Jam.
Drinks Americas has quite a group of celebrity product lines already including Donald Trump's Trump Super Premium Vodka, Willie Nelson's Old Whiskey River Bourbon and Paul Newman's Lightly Sparkling Fruit Juice Drinks and Flavored Waters.
Big ups to Lynne d Johnson for getting me up to speed.
I swear I did not know that Jay-Z was still acting like his Cristal boycott was effective when I gathered some of the evidence for its failure.
But while looking for some info related to the Armand disaster, I came upon this great recent coverage:
"A year and a half after Jay-Z called for a boycott of Cristal, the luxury brand produced by maker Louis Roederer, 'I guarantee they got what they wanted,' he said.
The rap megastar told Vegas Confidential on Sunday that Cristal's business in the rap and hip-hop community 'is definitely not where it was. Drastically. They really don't want our business.'...
Stung by what he considered racism, Jay-Z has replaced Cristal in his three upscale 40/40 Clubs with Armand de Brignac's Ace of Spades, Dom Perignon and Krug."
I guess that math works if you leave P Diddy out of the equation.
Update:
Since the Cristal boycott evoked a lot of emotional response and support at the time, I should point out that I supported the boycott when
Eskay originally called it. I also made some quite obvious suggestions to make the boycott effective rather than symbolic and was quite disappointed when Jay-Z immediately stepped back from an actual leadership role by not following through with promised interviews to the media [not just bloggers].
At the end of the day, Jay-Z is much more Michael Jordan than Barack Obama. If that's not clear enough, I feel that his actions have generally showed us that, though he can be quite inspiring in his own way, he is not a political leader and hoping for Jay-Z to play that role effectively will only lead to disappointment.
Related ProHipHop Coverage:
P. Diddy's Back w/Cristal, Jay-Z's Still w/Armand & the Luxury Market Doesn't Seem to Care
ProHipHop Coverage & Analysis of Jay-Z's Cristal Boycott
I wasn't planning on covering Jay-Z and Lebron James' Two Kings [Marketing Lovefest] Dinner, though there's much worth considering there, until I scrolled down to the 7th photo and saw Jay-Z and Steve Stoute with bottles of Armand de Brignac and that unmistakable Ace of Spades label.
It is a lovely bottle.
I wonder what Steve Stoute thinks of being connected to the Armand de Brignac charade. They must be getting well-paid at this point because risking your own brand in this manner for an overpriced nonvintage blend is not a good look.
And here's Armand de Brignac CEO Brett Berish on the red carpet with an unidentified female in front of an impressive array of sponsors officially associated with either Jay-Z or Lebron James:
"Brett Berish, Armand CEO...in attendance when Doublemint Gum presented the 2nd annual Jay-Z and LeBron James' Two Kings Dinner...a private "power dinner" consisting of a veritable who's who in the entertainment and sports industries, including many of the CEO's and CMO's from Fortune 500 companies who were in town for the NBA All-Star Weekend. The event was also made possible by support from Sprite and MSN. Following the exclusive dinner, guests were joined by 500 stars and athletes at the Two Kings After-Party at the same location. DJ stylings by DJ Clark Kent and Mick Boogie."
I mentioned in passing that Berish managed to get me on the phone back in the fall and literally dropped all the soundbites that I'd read in the news months before.
He also fronted like he was previously unfamiliar with ProHipHop until happening to run into my coverage, even though everybody else paying attention caught my posts early on due to the fact that for awhile I had top Google placement on most relevant search terms. I seriously wanted to ask him, "don't you ever Google yourself or your company?"
But why force the man to be associated with further lies when he's just trying to sell some champagne?
At AllHipHop:
More Photos from the Two Kings Dinner and/or After-Party
At ProHipHop:
ProHipHop Coverage of Armand de Brignac Champagne
ABSOLUT Vodak is collaborating with Kanye West:
"Their creative ventures begin with sponsorship of the Glow in the Dark Tour 2008 Ignited By ABSOLUT 100, and will continue as West works with the brand to bring his signature style into nightlife arenas and marketing campaigns in a daring and provocative fashion. As part of the brand's 'In An ABSOLUT World' advertising campaign, West, along with other artistic luminaries, will share his vision of life in an ABSOLUT World through online testimonials and interpretations."
GLOW IN THE DARK TOUR IGNITED BY ABSOLUT 100 Tour Schedule
Date City Venue
April 16 Seattle, WA Key Arena
18 Sacramento, CA ARCO Arena
19 San Jose, CA HP Pavilion
20 San Diego, CA Sports Arena
21 Los Angeles, CA Nokia Theatre
24 * Tucson, AZ Kale Aud., U. of Arizona
25 * Las Vegas, NV Red Rocks Casino Resort
26 * Albuquerque, NM Journal Pavilion
27 Denver, CO Pepsi Center
29 Oklahoma City, OK Ford Center
30 Austin, TX Frank Irwin Center
May 1 Dallas, TX Superpages.com Center
2 Houston, TX Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
4 Atlanta, GA Gwinette Arena
5 Tampa, FL Ford Amphitheatre
6 Miami, FL American Airlines Arena
8 Charlotte, NC Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
9 Raleigh, NC Walnut Creek Amphitheatre
10 Washington, DC Nissan Pavilion
11 Virginia Beach, VA Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
13 New York, NY Madison Square Garden
15 Boston, MA Tweeter Center
16 Hartford, CT North East Dodge Music Center
17 Philadelphia, PA Susquehana Bank Center
18 Scranton, PA Toyota Pavilion
20 Montreal, Que. Bell Centre
21 Toronto, Ont. Molson Centre
22 Detroit, MI Palace
23 Chicago, IL United Center
24 Minneapolis, MN Target Center
27 Saskatoon, Sask. Credit Union Centre
29 Edmonton, Alb. Rexall Palace
30 Calgary, Alb. Saddledome
* indicates dates do not include Rihanna.
Tour and ticket info at: kanyeuniversecity.com.
Beck's beer and Pandora, a "personalized radio service, available anytime and anywhere on the PC, in the home and on mobile devices", have teamed up at CES:
"The Beck's and Pandora hospitality area, which will be located in the concierge center and is open to attendees 21 and older, will feature a happy hour from 3 to 6 p.m. today through Wednesday. Laptops in the hospitality area will be tuned to Pandora's personalized music service. Pandora representatives will be on hand to walk listeners and members of the media through the music service...
Pandora also will be featuring a live game show today through Thursday in which CES attendees will answer music trivia questions and compete for prizes. The game show is a sneak preview of the new Musicmania video series that will premiere on Pandora in the spring. The games will be hosted by Kevin Seal, host of Pandora Presents..., a series of original videos and audio shows on Pandora."
Kenwood Vineyards is not only sponsoring the New Year's Eve 40/40 Club Grand Opening in Las Vegas but they're also sponsoring a permanent VIP room called the Kenwood Vineyards Lounge.
On the 40/40 Club:
"The new $20 million 40/40 Club Las Vegas is the third location of Jay-Z's renowned upscale sports bar and lounge...The multi-level venue features 85 plasma screen televisions, five bars serving "top-shelf" wines and libations, and leather couch seating for ultimate sports enjoyment, plus a luxurious dining area offering all-American fare with a Latin accent and five VIP rooms -- including the Kenwood Vineyards Lounge -- for private events."
On the 40/40 Club opening event in Vegas:
"A throng of "A-List" celebrities will walk the red carpet in front of fans and the press before heading inside for an evening to include a welcome and ceremonial ribbon-cutting by Jay-Z, dancing to live celebrity DJs and a midnight toast. A one-hour television special, "Live on the Red Carpet at the 40/40 Club Las Vegas Grand Opening," is scheduled to air on "Extra" and "E!"."
On the Kenwood Vineyards Lounge:
"Literally a "club within a club," the intimate Kenwood Vineyards Lounge -- which can accommodate only 70 guests -- blends wine country accents with leather wrap around couches, hardwood floors, wood paneled walls, a sunken living room and an 8-foot pool table. This private space also is equipped with two 65-inch plasma screen televisions, an independent sound system, wireless internet access, Xbox, Playstation, chess boards and a complementary Ms. Pacman arcade game."
"One of the Kenwood Vineyard Lounge's most distinctive amenities is a private outdoor terrace, with views of the famed Las Vegas Strip and the Las Vegas fireworks. Befitting a private, "by reservation only" lounge, VIP servers assigned exclusively to the Kenwood Vineyards Lounge will take care of guests' food and beverage needs. A superb selection of premium Kenwood Vineyards Sonoma County wines will be available in the Kenwood Vineyards Lounge by the glass and by the bottle."
Official Site:
Kenwood Vineyards
Related ProHipHop Coverage:
Jay-Z to Perform in Las Vegas New Year's Weekend
Swizz Beats & T-Pain at Remy Martin Women of King Calendar Party
Way back in time, November 6th to be exact, cognac artists Remy Martin threw a Remy Martin Flight 1738 party at the Metropolitan Pavilion in New York featuring T-Pain, Swizz Beatz and DJ D-Nice to launch what they termed the "hottest luxury lifestyle calendar ever".
King Mag has some calendar pics.
Diddy at the Ciroc Vodka Shoot
The Sean Diddy Combs/Ciroc Vodka combo swing into action.
Related ProHipHop Coverage:
Sean "Ciroc" Combs: Let The Diddy Deluge Begin
Diddy Goes 50/50 With Diageo for Ciroc Vodka
Junk Science - The Making of Gran'Dad's Nerve Tonic Part 1
My apologies for sleeping on this.
Junk Science - The Making of Gran'Dad's Nerve Tonic Part 2
I could say something vaguely intelligent but then you'd have to wait while I take a nap and clear my mind.
Hey, I just played both of them at the same time to make sure nothing bad slipped past ProHipHop's censors and it works pretty well that way.
Available from Amazon:
Junk Science - Gran'Dad's Nerve Tonic
Sean Combs has quite an interesting deal with alcohol company Diageo regarding Ciroc vodka:
Under the terms of the deal, Combs and Sean Combs Enterprises will take the lead on all brand management decisions for Ciroc, while sharing in the future profits of the growth of the brand. This exclusive US multi-year collaboration, which calls for a 50/50 profit split, is a first for the spirits industry and could be worth more than $100 million for Combs...As part of the new alliance, Combs will take the lead on brand management decisions, including marketing, advertising, public relations, product placement and events.
That's a great way to leverage Diddy's marketing and promotional abilities. Cut him in and unleash the phenomenon.
Official Site:
Ciroc Vodka
Jermaine Dupri & Young Jeezy Celebrate w/Courvoisier
Belated news from Courvoisier regarding their sponsorship of one of Young Jeezy's birthday and fashion line launch events late last month.
Must have been a great party cause that bottles looking a bit blurry!
Bacardi BLive sealed their "lead sponsor" status for the Brooklyn Academy of Music's Fall '08 season with a $25k check ceremony last week and also sponsored a show over the weekend with Sean Paul, Talib Kweli, Calle 13 and DJ Mark Ronson at the Steiner Studios in the Brooklyn Old Navy Yard.
Miraflor saw the free show:
The venue was pretty ridiculous. Bacardi put some serious money into this - I can't emphasize that enough. There was a concert pit in front of center stage with room for a thousand+, a large VIP tent to the left of the stage, bleachers to the right, 7 or 8 bars, a food stand, 3 jumbo-tron screens, a full press tent, and a good amount of swag. I'm not sure if the BLive series is meant to be a big tax write-off by Bacardi, but they certainly poured a good amount of money for this free concert series.
Official Site:
Bacardi BLive NYC
Young Doe - Welcome to the Maze Album Promo
This is a lively short promo video for Young's Doe's upcoming release Welcome to the Maze. Young Doe aka Charles Truth is out of Denver, Colorado and it turns out the album is based on a book he's self published called Welcome to the Maze: A Novel.
Charles Truth - Welcome to the Maze: A Novel
Bonus Footage:
Young Doe aka Charles Truth - Hunid Racks & Remy
Just ran into this recent video single by Young Doe aka Charles Truth, Hunid Racks & Remy.
Related ProHipHop Coverage:
100 Racks/Hunid Racks Energy Drink Copromotes With Yukmouth & Messy Marv, C-Bo Albums
Hennessy Lost Weekend Ad Featuring Music by Pharrell
I'm assuming the above video that's been circulating is in fact the Lost Weekend commercial featuring music by Pharrell that's part of the Flaunt Your Taste campaign:
The campaign, which includes seven Internet spots and three conventional TV commercials that will begin airing in the next few weeks, continues the drink's association with the rap scene by having the music created by producer and rapper Pharrell...Print ads will appear in magazines such as GQ, Vanity Fair and Vibe.
It's nice to know that some people still see hip hop as commercially viable and I like the way they're playing off shifting hip hop trends:
For Ewen Cameron, CEO and ecd at Berlin Cameron United in New York, getting people to accent what good taste they have is similar to the previous craze of wearing as much diamond jewelry as possible. "Taste is the new bling," he said.
Moet Hennessy USA, a division of LMVH (Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy), has never shied away from such associations for the brand, sponsoring awards shows where rappers were prominently showcased and having stars such as Rakim and Eric B. in earlier ads...
"The urban metro market was evolving and the insight we had was the new ultimate consumption was taste," said Cameron. "Instead of showing off your rims or clothes, it was about showing off the symbols that articulate your taste."
The seeming contradiction of showing off a refined sense of taste is not lost on Cameron. "You could argue that taste is subtle, but we see having taste as flaunting it. Our audience wants to go out and be noticed, but for their good taste as opposed to objects," he said.
I don't know the full extent of Pharrell's involvement with Hennessy but this certainly isn't the first connection:
Super Bowl XLI - Hennessy Game Night Party Hosted By Pharrell at Mokai
I was also informed that the Flaunt Your Taste website has additional beats by Pharrell in various locations.
Official Site:
Flaunt Your Taste
T.I. Receives Personalized Bottle of Couvoisier
Late last month Courvoisier hosted a "T.I. Vs T.I.P. Album Release Party During BET Awards Week" but for some reason they're just getting around to putting out a press release in which the above picture is described:
Pictured is Chris Mahoney, senior brand director, Beam Global Spirits & Wine, presenting T.I. with a personalized bottle of Courvoisier Initiale Extra, on the red carpet.
Hey, I didn't realize Big Tigger is an "official House of Courvoisier brand spokesperson."
Courvoisier also announced the launch of the House of Courvoisier website to provide information about "upcoming HOC events and promotions."
[Photo courtesy PRNewsFoto/Courvoisier/SOPHIA JONES]
How Do You Banana Malibu?
RJD2 has remixed the Banana Boat song for Malibu Rum's Malibu Banana YouTube contest. Download RJD2's remix, follow the rules on the YouTube site keeping in mind that the stupidest video category will be full to overflowing and make your move, superstar.
Apparently this has something to do with a new Tropical Banana flavor from Malibu Rum.
Pimp Juice Desktop Image
Ottawa, Ontario's Brockway Biggs, first known as Pimp T, has remixed his award winning single Shake Ya Caboose as part of a promotion for Nelly's Pimp Juice. The single is available for free download at letitloose.com along with singles by Baby Huey and Thinline Ent.
Biggs was interviewed by Paul Castle of CBC NB's Shift about the deal and related career developments.
Direct link to Shake Ya Caboose (Nevski Remix) MP3.
Flyer for RHYTHMICRU at Grooveyard Taiwan
In related hip hop news from Ontario, Toronto's RHYTHMICRU recently got back from a tour in Taiwan and an appearance at Grooveyard Taiwan.
M.O.P. is finally getting their debut on G-Unit Records in May and they're off to a profitable start with their endorsement of Sizzurp:
M.O.P. will promote Sizzurp with product placement in new song lyrics, music videos, and while on tour worldwide with tour van wraps, stage banners and on-stage pours...
The music from "7:30," M.O.P.'s first song to be released from the new CD, has been picked up by CBS Sports for their basketball broadcasts and the New York Knicks, both of which are using the music in their "sound beds." The video for "7:30," which has Sizzurp placed in the video, is now being re-edited for MTV and is expected to be broadcast nationally by March 1, 2007.
Now we'll get to see how all that gym time required by 50 Cent worked out.
Nas - Can't Forget About You featuring Chrisette Michele
Two of Champagne Cattier's champagnes have been placed in new videos. Cattier's Brut Rose appears in Nas' Can't Forget About You featuring Chrisette Michele while their Blanc de Noirs appears in Young Jeezy's Go Getta featuring R. Kelly.
However, there are apparently two versions of the Nas video, one of which features the Cattier label. In the above version, one sees the bottle and also the champagne in glasses about halfway through but not the label itself. In the Young Jeezy video, the Cattier label has a prominent placement about two thirds of the way in. Actually, there's a bunch of other stuff also placed fairly visibly in Go Getta.
Young Jeezy - Go Getta featuring R. Kelly
I should have more in the coming week about the efforts of Elite Champagne Imports, LLC and their associates to market Cattier champagnes in the U.S. Thanks to Yosh of Elite Champagne Imports for information on the above videos.
Related Coverage:
Cattier Champagne Importers Confirm Details of the Armand de Brignac Deception
I was recently contacted by Yosh (yes, that's his business name) of Elite Champagne Imports, LLC, a Chicago based company that he presented as the sole importer of Cattier champagne. He was initially responding to my post regarding the recent appearance of Cattier at Hollywood parties to clarify misperceptions regarding Cattier's relationship to Armand de Brignac.
At first I was quite suspicious, given the history of the Armand deception, but as he told me more about Cattier and began to reveal details of the Armand backstory, I was hooked. So far, everything that he's told me holds together based on previous information and additional verification, though there are a few details I hope to discuss with Mary Hall Ross of The Ross Group. But I'm currently comfortable with the following version.
Without getting overly detailed, the basic story is that 3 Vodka approached Champagne Cattier about providing a custom product for import to the U.S. Cattier leased the name Armand de Brignac to 3 Vodka, a name which Cattier had briefly brought to life in the 1950s and then put on ice. 3 Vodka leased the name and paid Cattier to produce the champagne.
When Armand was first introduced, many folks speculated that it was the Antique Gold and Yosh explained that Armand and Antique Gold share not only the same bottle but the same initial production line. The impressive Ace of Spades label is only affixed after the champagne has aged while the rest of the bottles are separately labeled Antique Gold.
Of course, Antique Gold sells for up to $60 a bottle while Armand was said to be priced at around $300. The only difference between the two being the fancier label and packaging and the association with Jay-Z in the Show Me What You Got video and in a single event at the 40-40 Club.
Yosh confirmed that 3 Vodka had erroneously claimed the company history of Champagne Cattier as that of Armand de Brignac's and that Armand is not known as a high end champagne in Europe. It actually has no history other than as a brief creation from the 50s that was recently made available to 3 Vodka. It's important to understand that Cattier has a history of creating specially packaged champagnes for companies and individuals for special occasions as well as leasing particular names and supplying the champagne itself as one of its services.
Currently Cattier, which is already sold in the U.S., is expanding its presence here with product placements in music videos, films and celeb events. I'll be following up with more about those efforts, especially as they involve hip hop artists.
Cattier has already benefitted from the Armand placement in the Jay-Z video but that connection is also requiring them to clarify their separate identity in order to move past the fact that 3 Vodka misrepresented Armand de Brignac champagne.
I should also point out that, as Yosh clarified, Elite Champagne Imports is not a branch of Cattier but is majority owned by CEO Laurent Panfilo Cattier, the nephew of the two Cattier brothers who run Champagne Cattier. Though independent, the two companies are obviously connected in many way and, in addition to importing Cattier, Elite Champagne Imports is now involved with distribution and with marketing the product in the U.S.
Yosh is a minority owner and runs much of the day to day business in Chicago. CEO Laurent Panfilo Cattier is directly involved with the day to day operations but is often on the road and plays an ambassador role for Cattier champagne. Mary Ross of The Ross Group in LA is handling product placements with a particular focus on the film industry while Shorty Capone of Space Giant Consultants in Chicago is handling word of mouth in the hip hop community.
More soon with details of some of Elite Champagne Imports' marketing activities for Cattier in the U.S.
Related Coverage:
Cattier Champagnes Placed in Nas' Can't Forget About You & Young Jeezy's Go Getta Videos
ProHipHop Coverage of Armand de Brignac Champagne
Jay-Z/Don Shula Budweiser Select Super Bowl Commercial
I really like the merger of chess and football in this commercial but something about the Don Shula/Jay-Z pairing doesn't work so well for me. Nevertheless, I can't hate on this one.
Jay-Z will appear in one of Budweiser's Super Bowl ads. He and Don Shula "square off in a football-themed chess game. Dale Earnhardt Jr. [also] stars in an ad in which he's being chased in his race car by an angry gang of Mad Max-type hooligans."
Chess, Mad Max and comedy:
In a nod to cultural inclusion, Latino comedian Carlos Mencia, from Comedy Central, stars in a Bud Light spot. In it, he teaches an English class how to speak with a Southern drawl when asking for a Bud Light.
I'm assuming the Jay-Z and Dale Earnhardt Jr. ads are also for Bud Light but that wasn't clear.
As Budweiser builds its brand globally, it sometimes appears as the luxury foreign brand.
Update:
Chris Thilk informed me that Budweiser ad "snippets" are up at YouTube including a snippet from the Jay-Z chess ad.
Maybe I'm old fashioned or maybe I'm just old, but I find the snippets profoundly dissatisfying. A 10 second teaser for a commercial? I mean, I'm all for microchunking content but I think we're hitting some kind of outer limit here!
Clarification:
Chris was officially contacting me on behalf of MWW Group who are working with Anheuser-Busch.
Tracey Edmons & Eddie Murphy Display Champagne Cattier at Xenii Party
Apparently, now that Armand de Brignac Champagne has been exposed as a fraud, the makers have gone back to boosting their own brand, Champagne Cattier.
Over the holiday season, stars in L.A. had product pushed in their direction at various events but I'm most excited by news that Cattier is "engaging in talks about a possible CATTIER presence in rap mogul Suge Knight's upcoming HBO reality TV show."
From Jay-Z to Suge Knight? Interesting.
IMPORTANT UPDATE:
I've been in touch with a representative of Elite Champagne Imports who wanted to clarify the confusion that's arisen around the actual relationship of Cattier and Armand. I'll be writing more about this topic the last week of January and will also be updating this and any other misleading post.
Related:
ProHipHop Coverage of Armand de Brignac Champagne
Photo courtesy PRNewsFoto/Elite Champagne Imports, LLC.
I'm happy to see that the few recent references to Armand de Brignac Champagne found in news searches correctly characterize Armand as a new creation without the history or quality claimed in early company pr.
In the Washington City Paper Sarah Godfrey describes Armand as a "brand hastily created by Cattier to capitalize on Jay-Z’s campaign against Cristal."
Bloomberg.com's Elin McCoy states, in an article on the current interest in "grower" champagnes, states that the "wine is a recent creation from small negociant Champagne Cattier masquerading as a grower champagne, which shows how trendy this category is becoming."
Unfortunately, whoever wrote the headline for McCoy's article obviously didn't bother to read it but scanned for something catchy and then wrote something inaccurate.
However, the Wikipedia entry for Armand de Brignac bears the clear marks of a wily Web 2.0 marketer. In the interest of a more honest and complete entry, I've added a link to ProHipHop's Coverage .
Update:
Previously I had mentioned here that someone had removed my ProHipHop link but that was apparently an accident. See the comments below for more.
Update 2:
The Armand Wikipedia entry is quite the active one, now with a link to a post from
Dr. Vino's wine blog in which a Wall Street Journal article, which we all missed, is discussed:
In the WSJ story, Jean-Jacques Cattier, the brand owner tells how he was unable to sell his champagne in the American market for 20 years. Brett Berish of Sovereign Brands, a drinks importer and marketer based in New York, approached Cattier about reviving his old brand name "de Brignac." The association of champagne growers, the CIVC, approved of reviving the name providing they added a first name. So they chose Armand since "it sounded kind of noble," according to Cattier in the story.
'So I was doing a search on Google for various Armand related phrases, including armand de brignac champagne, and found this Armand Champagne faq in .pdf form that's available via the Armand website, though no homepage link is posted.
It seems like some of the information in the faq is new so I'll discuss it in relationship to recent news from Cattier, makers of Armand.
The most recently announced news is that the good folks at Cattier hired The Ross Group to handle future product placements. You can find out more about The Ross Group at their site and also get an interesting look at the product placement scene.
In fact, if you vist The Ross Group's site, you'll notice that they're the ones who got Richard Gere into Nino Cerutti for the film Pretty Woman. And they mention that in this most recent press release so, though that's been awhile, I guess it's their claim to fame.
You may recall that when Jay-Z's video for Show Me What You Got appeared, with a magical bottle of Armand on display, the very first Armand related press release soon followed. Interestingly, no mention is made of the existence of Cattier and "Brett Berish" is described as the "Armand de Brignac President/CEO" though there doesn't really seem to be a company called Armand de Brignac for him to be head of plus he's also one of the two brothers who founded 3 Vodka and credits part of their success to distinctive packaging not unlike that of the flashy Armand bottle:
Convinced that its unique new vodka required equally impressive packaging, 3 Vodka Distilling Co. developed a 750-mL glass bottle emblazoned with a bright red 3 that is something of a departure in decorating technology.
As you may also recall, 3 Vodka registered the Armand domain yet remains unmentioned in Cattier pr. However, this most recent press release does introduce a new company about which I can only find copies of the press release, "Elite Champagne Imports, LLC". If I was a more serious investigator I'd start checking for databases that allow one to look up LLCs, with a particular eye towards Maryland where incorporation as an LLC is a time honored tax reduction move.
Moving on, Mary Hall Ross of The Ross Group states, "They bottle the best, and they deserve the best in return." Now, even given the fact that no one considers such quotes real quotes, let's use the claim, "they bottle the best", as a segue into discussion of the Armand Champagne faq in .pdf form.
The document states that Armand will launch in the U.S, in December and that the Armand people, whoever they really are, went to Cattier to create this champagne. It's claimed that Cattier had coined the term in the 1950s but I guess they didn't use it so it was handy. In addition, you'll note that, contrary to the most recent press release, Cattier and the people behind Armand are treated as separate entities.
This whole identity game is getting pretty f*cking ridiculous, don't you think?
Most importantly, the product we're about to receive is said to have a unique "formula" that no other champagnes use. In part, this formular involves a mixture of Pinot Noir, Chardonay and Pinot Menuier in thirds.
The truly amazing part is that, though these grapes come from the same vines that have produced only sub $100 retail bottles to date, they have been blended into a new champagne that will be worth hundred of dollars.
How did this occur? Via the magic of unplanned product placement! That's right! Even though Jay-Z had an album coming out and even though every move he makes generates money for whoever else is visible and even though every public action of Jay-Z in recent months is clearly part of the Kingdom Come campaign, Jay-Z just happened to stumble upon Armand and liked it so much he was able to work it into an elaborate video without anyone reaching out and offering him huge amounts of money for that product placement.
How do we know Jay-Z wasn't paid for this placement and that he simply liked the champagne so much he featured it in a video? Cause we read it in a press release.
What I can't figure out is that, if Jay-Z loves this champagne so much, why hasn't he made any public statements about it or been photographed with any outside of the video?
Personally, I'm guessing that Jay-Z's silence is damage control on his part, just as he and Def Jam went silent when Aztek Escobar's background was exposed as a fabrication.
I could go on but you knew that already. Let's stop kicking the fallen horse of Armand de Brignac Champagne, take a break and come back with straight up Jay-Z Kingdom Come coverage, shall we?
By the way, if the .pdf disappear, hit me for a copy.
All Coverage To Date:
ProHipHop Coverage of Cattier's Armand de Brignac Champagne
Update:
Here's a month old AP report that offers a variety of interesting angles and it's frustrating that I missed this [wish the reporter had written me back when I found out he was working on it and wrote him]. The thing that's now obvious is that this champagne doesn't actually exist on the market therefore Jay-Z could not have accidentally encountered it and I bet when it launches next month, most reporters will act as if there are still "questions" when, in fact, it's quite obvious what kind of scam is being pulled.
It doesn't surprise me in the least that Jay-Z is distancing himself from this one.
Update 2:
I was wrong about Jay-Z distancing himself from Armand but Urbonics Exec clued me in via the comments.
Apparently Armand champagne was featured at the one year anniversary of the Atlantic City 40/40 Club and Jay-Z is described as chugging straight from the bottle.
Being Jay-Z, he may get away with this, but it makes him look more like a cheap hustler than a serious businessman, without any of the positivity people are trying to bring to the term hustler. It's a bad look and it makes me hard to respect Jay-Z, despite his incredible accomplishments.
Update 3:
Dan Zarella looks at Armand-related keywords and concludes that Armand is a veblen good for which "people's preference for buying them increases as a direct function of their price."
No, it's not the most important topic since we've already established that Armand de Brignac is a newly conceived beverage swaddled in deceptive clothing whose association with Jay-Z assures that the rubes will be spending hundreds on a champagne of dubious lineage.
But since it looks like the whole drama will be eked out bit by bit, I think a continually updated list of all ProHipHop coverage is in order for future reference. Most recent at the top:
Jay-Z Brings Back "That Ace of Spades": Armand de Brignac Champagne
Cattier Champagne Importers Confirm Details of the Armand de Brignac Deception
From Armand de Brignac Back To Champagne Cattier
Armand de Brignac's Lies Undergoing Wikipedia Revisions
Further Obsessive Coverage of Armand Champagne
Cattier, Makers of Armand de Brignac, Begins To Emerge
Solving The Puzzle Of The Lying Liars Who Brought Us Armand de Brignac Champagne
3 Vodka Behind Armand de Brignac Champagne's Jay-Z Video Campaign
Questions Raised Regarding Armand de Brignac Champagne, Jermaine Dupri & Jay-Z
Armand de Brignac Champagne Embraces Jay-Z
And if you want to tie all this into the Cristal "boycott", please see:
ProHipHop Coverage & Analysis of Jay-Z's Cristal Boycott
IMPORTANT UPDATE:
I've been in touch with a representative of Elite Champagne Imports who
wanted to clarify the confusion that's arisen around the actual
relationship of Cattier and Armand. I'll be writing more about this
topic the last week of January and will also be updating misleading posts.
2008 Update:
P. Diddy's Back w/Cristal, Jay-Z's Still w/Armand & the Luxury Market Doesn't Seem to Care
I'm going to come back and take a closer look at the latest publicity move by Cattier, makers of Armand de Brignac champagne.
I'll try to be a bit gentler than I was in my most recent post, Solving The Puzzle Of The Lying Liars Who Brought Us Armand de Brignac Champagne, but from what I can see in the press release, it's more of the same.
Bacardi's Bacardi DJ website is one of the winners in the Web Marketing Association's WebAward 2006.
Bacardi DJ allows you to create online mixes in specific styles that you can then download as MP3's. The site was created by AgencyNet Interactive.
It looks like most of the important parts of the puzzle of Armand de Brignac, the previously unknown yet ancient champagne that magically appeared in Jay-Z's comeback video, have been solved. Business Week's Burt Helm follows up, drops by the offices and eventually clarifies that Armand de Brignac is both real and a fake.
You can read his post for clarification but the name is an old one for a champagne that hasn't existed for quite some time and the champagne packaged in the revived Armand de Brignac brand is a new blend with very little history.
Key Point Alert:
I repeat, Armand de Brignac is a new blend with no history or positive reviews by serious taste testers or anything other than an infrastructure, an appearance in a Jay-Z video, a nice bottle and a bunch of frothy media coverage [with a couple of dissidents here and there who will soon be forgotten].
So the statements from the press release that "the brand is making its North American debut this year, after enjoying success as a premium, high-end brand in France" is an outright lie. It's a new champagne wrapped in an old brand borrowing the design of a bottle for a cheaper product.
However, Helm drops the ball when he states that this approach isn't that different from the sudden appearance of Grey Goose Vodka that was touted as the "World's Best Tasting Vodka."
I'd put best tasting in the hype category as one of those lies that we've come to accept. I'd put trying to pass off a resurrected brand and claiming it is as an ongoing successful brand with an old history as a lie that we should refuse to accept, though it's one that fits the world of hip hop business practices like a glove.
At this point, it's quite obvious what's going on here. Though Helm is still at the "skeptical" stage regarding the various disclaimers about who did what and why, it's clear that the whole thing is a setup, regardless of whether or not this charade was inspired by the Cristal boycott.
Key Point Alert:
The very idea that Jay-Z Inc. would put a product like that in a starring role in Jay-Z's comeback video without prior discussion or deal doing is patently absurd.
But if you buy that one, give me call, I've got a barely used '69 VW bug for sale. Really, only 37k on the original engine and those are all highway miles. You've lucked out on this one!
More details will emerge though I'll bet they keep the backroom realities hidden. In hip hop business, your lies are usually only revealed when you are caught up in legal proceedings because, generally speaking, hip hop business is considered entertainment news. Besides all pr is good pr and telling the truth is awfully close to snitching, don't you think?
Much thanks for the tip to Dariah H.
Too Short - Blow The Whistle
I just got off the phone with Darren Keast of the East Bay Express who's doing a piece about Too Short's in-store events for Remy Martin in East Bay liquor stores. He says it's a recent thing and that all the events have been in-stores in pretty rough neighborhoods.
They seem to have brought out a nice crowd for the in-store depicted in this promo video. It's a YouTube video and I'd be running it here if the embedding wasn't disabled. But, hey, that means you get to watch Blow The Whistle!
DJ Juice was on hand and Too Short did both a Remy Martin bottle signing (damn, I want one of those!) and a live performance. Nicely done.
Update:
Too Short In-store in Fort Worth, Texas
These brief clips at an in-store appearance in Fort Worth just don't hold a candle to that East Bay liquor store!
In a story that was written prior to revelations that Armand de Brignac Champagne may not be what it's claimed, Jamie Bryan takes a really fascinating look at hip hop and the alcohol industry , and inadvertently deepens the perception that ProHipHop has liquor on the brain.
A running thread in the article is the situation of Branson B., who is said to be widely name checked in rap lyrics, but is having trouble getting well-known rappers with whom he feels a connection to support his product. In fact, recent moves by Diddy and Jay-Z have suggested that the folks he hoped might give support are going to be competitors.
It's hard to find much about Branson B. online and that doesn't help either, though he is making headway:
Honey lounge in New York has signed on to carry Branson B., and the exclusive Cain clubs are thinking about it. Megu has added it to the wine lists at its tony Japanese restaurants in Trump Towers and Tribeca (Tribeca's list is a Wine Spectator award winner). Platinum-selling rapper the Game recently wrote Branson B. Champagne into the performance rider for his upcoming world tour.
But I was actually much more interested in the following information about David McCallen and Straight Up Brands:
Both trends--rappers' entry into the wine-and-spirits business and the use of clubs to promote brands--are being built into the entire product-development strategy. For example, David McCallen, CEO of Straight Up Brands Inc., a publicly traded company, is launching a sparkling wine called Wave with rapper Foxy Brown, as well as other beverages with Ja Rule and DJ Clue. According to McCallen, because Foxy is signed to Def Jam, Jay-Z has agreed to host Wave's launch this winter, "appear around the product with her," carry it in his 40/40 Clubs, and include a promotional insert in her new CD.
The quality of the wine isn't the main point--it's all about placement and cross-promotion. McCallen stresses that deals like Foxy's aren't endorsement deals. The artist "owns a piece of the brand" and shares in revenue as a creative partner (he puts the profits on wine products at around 35% to 40%, and up to 100% on spirits). "We give them signing bonuses, just like a record deal," he explains. "I want the artist to literally work [the name] into their songs, rap about it, have it in their videos. It's all product placement."...
"This is a fit for [rap artists] from a product point of view," McCallen adds. "I mean, they're shameless promoters… . So it's not a disconnect for them to rap about a liquor deal, a liquor product that they own. It's spot on."
Bringing the artist in as partner has long been a hallmark of hip hop business endeavors and McCallen's take on the situation is also spot on. For the most part, hip hop artists do excel at promoting products with which they feel strong ties, whether cultural or economic, and ultimately move beyond product placement to a full visible integration of a product into their daily lives and the lives of their fans.
Thanks to Lynne d Johnson for the tip.
Recent Comments