
Apple & Eve Talent Search
Apple & Eve ended its quest for the next big folk
music star in the second annual Apple & Eve Newport Folk Festival
Talent Search, with the selection of Rachel Garlin of Berkeley, Calif.
Garlin was singled out for her insightful lyrics, expressive vocals and
powerful performance. The nationwide search was presented by Stop &
Shop, and as the winner, Garlin was given the opportunity to play on the
main stage at the Folk Festival, held August 7 at the Newport Fort Adams
State Park. She performed her original song “Tom’s Song”
to a crowd of 5,000.
Cast your vote
The Ritz-Carlton in Georgetown, Washington, D.C., has
created three politically inspired cocktails — the Kerry Berry Kosmo,
the “W”tini and the Kurant Affair — and will let
customers vote for their favorite. Available at the hotel’s Degrees
bar, the Kerry Berry Kosmo is a blend of Stoli Strasberi, Stoli Razberi,
cranberry juice, grenadine and Sprite. The “W”tini is made from
Stoli Ohranj, Blue Curacao and Sprite; and the Kurant Affair is made from
Absolut Kurant, Chambord, cranberry juice and Sprite. The cocktails will be
available until Nov. 1.
Gather ’round
Miller Brewing Co., Milwaukee, is getting ready for
fall with an off-premise campaign that encourages “Miller High Life
Men” to get outside, enjoy the change of seasons and “gather
’round the High Life”. To help them embrace the cooler weather,
consumers will have the chance to win a patio fire pit (where legal).
Promotional materials will include point-of-sale displays for Miller High
Life and High Life Light.
Snapple goes wireless
Cadbury Schweppes Americas Beverages is working with
Airborne Entertainment for a Snapple Real Facts under-the-cap trivia
campaign that will allow consumers to “create the best mobile phone
stuff on earth.” Snapple consumers will be able to download games
applications, wallpapers and animated ringers on their phones.
Airborne’s line-up of Snapple products will be available in the fall
on wireless carriers across North America, and additional products will be
released throughout the year.
Molson makes a connection
Molson USA is helping consumers connect with the
opposite sex, with three new on-premise promotions. “We know that our
account partners want promotions that give them flexibility, which is why
we’ve created 12 months of turnkey programs that allow them to work
Molson into their business plans as they see fit,” says Kurt Kane,
brand director for Molson USA.
Programs include Molson Chiller Beach Parties,
offering beach-themed gear such as towels, sun visors, beach balls and
bikinis; Hot Summer Nights, with point-of-sale materials featuring hot tub
etiquette tips and the chance to win a Molson hot tub; and Lookin’
Lucky, that lets male consumers win new clothes through scratch-and-win
cards and an online tie-in that will give one consumer an entirely new
wardrobe.
The golden ones
Diageo has presented the Golden Bar Awards to
distributors for outstanding performance in the marketplace and for the
roles they play in their communities. Top distributors were given 24-karat
gold awards, standing more than a foot tall, and the awards ceremony
included a surprise performance by comedian Jerry Seinfeld.
Diageo’s Distributor of the Year — Wine
& Spirits award went to Pacific Wine & Spirits, California; and
Distributor of the Year — Beer was given to Harbor Distributing, also
of California. Other winners included: Spirits Excellence — Smirnoff,
Colony Liquor & Wine Distributors, New York; Spirits Excellence —
Jose Cuervo, Major Brands, Missouri; Spirits Excellence — Captain
Morgan, Pacific Wine & Spirits, California; Spirits Excellence —
Crown Royal, National Wine & Spirits, Indiana; Spirits Excellence
— Baileys, Glazer’s of Iowa; Spirits Excellence — Johnnie
Walker, Coastal Wine & Spirits, Florida; Spirits Excellence —
Tanqueray, Alliance Beverage, Arizona; Wines Excellence — Beaulieu
Vineyard, Pacific Wine & Spirits, California; Wines Excellence —
Sterling Vineyards, Southern Wine & Spirits, Florida; On-Premise
Excellence Award — Spirits, Reliable Churchill, Maryland; On-Premise
Excellence Award — Wine, Alliance Beverage, Arizona; Best New Launch
— Spirits, Glazer’s of Texas; Best New Launch — Wine,
Pacific Wines & Spirits, California; Beer Excellence — Guinness,
Lee Distributors, South Carolina; Beer Excellence — Smirnoff Ice,
Gate City Beverage, California; On-Premise Excellence — Beer,
Beechwood Distributors, Wisconsin; Best New Launch — Beer, JJ Taylor
Distributors, Florida; Corporate Citizenship Excellence, the United Group,
Massachusetts.
Best barbecue
Brown Forman will hold what it calls the world’s
most prestigious barbecue competition, the Jack Daniel’s World
Championship International Barbecue, culminating on Oct. 23 with more than
50 teams from the United States and abroad competing in Lynchburg, Tenn.,
for the title of Grand Champion. In order to qualify, the competing teams
must have won a state championship or a previous competition with more than
50 teams competing. The distillery has hosted the competition, which has
attracted barbecue teams from as far as Japan, Ireland and Australia, for
16 years.
Champion finish
Corona Champ Car driver Rodolfo Lavin celebrated a
second-place finish, the Corona car’s best yet, at the Grand Prix of
Road America at Elkhart Lake, Wis. Corona-maker, Modelo, became the primary
backer of the Corona Champ car last year. Pictured are: Lavin; Forsythe
Racing Team owner Gerald Forsythe and Bill Hackett, president of Barton
Beers, importer of Modelo products in the Western United States.