Miller Brewing Co. has announced the “Open Up the Great Taste of Summer” on-premise promotion that will use summer images to capture attention of consumers. Off-premise materials will include “talking cans” (where legal) in specially marked 18-, 24- and 30-packs of Miller Lite and Miller Genuine Draft that will tell consumers they have won summer experiences such as behind-the-scenes baseball (spring training), NASCAR (in the pits), and football (training camp) with Miller alliance partners. Point-of-sale materials will feature summer images and motion display enhancers.

Bacardi teamed with actor Josh Duhamel for a New Orleans fundraiser in which Duhamel added the last bead to the “World’s Longest String of Mardi Gras Beads” to raise money for the Rebirth of New Orleans Tourism Fund. The Guinness Record attempt raised $25,000 for the tourism fund, bringing Bacardi’s contribution to the hurricane-ravaged city to more than $400,000 in total.

NOS Energy Drink from Fuze Beverage Co. has signed on as the Official Energy Drink of the NOPI Drag Racing Series and will have a major presence at all 10 of the NDRA series events, as well as the NOPI Nationals Motorsports Supershow in Atlanta this September.

“The NDRA series not only features the best drivers in the sport of compact drag racing, but are great lifestyle events that appeal to young automotive enthusiasts,” says NOS Energy Drinks Brand Manager Michael Fine. “Its fans are the perfect demographic for our NOS Energy Drink. They are familiar with the boost that nitrous oxide provides to cars and understand what NOS Energy Drinks do for the driver.”

NOS Energy Drink is packaged in containers that look like Holley performance nitrous oxide canisters. The drinks will be featured in a special VIP area with a DJ, NOS Bar, NOS Models, Xbox kiosks and NOS pong competitions.

Heaven Hill, Bardstown, Ky., continues its fishing themed marketing plan for Evan Williams Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey that includes a title sponsorship of Citgo Bassmaster Elite Series professional angler Jason Quinn for the 2006 and 2007 seasons. Evan Williams has sponsored Quinn since 2004. Evan Williams will be “luring” in the 25 percent of all fishing enthusiasts who drink bourbon (according to Simmons) with a two-year sponsorship of Quinn, and will support his team onsite at tournaments with a logoed graphic wrap of his boat and hauling truck. Quinn also will make promotional appearances on behalf of Evan Williams throughout the fishing season and around the country.

Barton Beers has launched new print advertising targeted to men ages 25-34 for its St. Pauli Girl’s beer. The national campaign features sophisticated, recognizable female forms that morph into beer images. The company feels the new campaign is in keeping with the St. Pauli Girl collectible poster tradition.

“This campaign takes the recognizable girl on the label to the next level, capturing the spirit of our brand tradition in a way that is edgy with a sense of humor,” said Fred Graefenhain, marketing vice president at Barton Beers.

The new advertisements can be found in the March issues of select magazines including Backpacker, Esquire, FHM, Giant, Maxim, Men’s Health, Playboy, Rolling Stone and Sports Illustrated.

Beam Global’s Courvoisier cognac recently went one on one with Alonzo Mourning and Ben Gordon at the annual NBA All-Star Weekend in Houston. A special reception marking the opening festivities of All-Star Weekend was held on Feb. 17 at the House of Courvoisier, where NBA all-stars joined Chris Mahoney, senior brand director at Courvoisier and Julia Dell, sales manager, on-premise, Future Brands LLC as well as Steve Stanley, general sales manager at Glazer’s, and Denny Thomlinson, district sales manager for Spec’s Chain Division.

Reception attendees were some of Houston’s lucky few to sample L’Esprit de Courvoisier, an exclusive cognac with rare vintages dating back to the 19th Century and the royal court of Napoleon. Mourning and Gordon were also special recipients of complimentary bottles of L’Esprit, which retails for $5,000.

Laurent-Perrier Champagne celebrated its 10th anniversary partnership with the Academy Awards with more than 1,000 bottles of Grand Siècle by Laurent-Perrier, which were offered prior to the ceremony, at the Governor’s Ball, and in the official Academy Awards gift baskets. Earlier this year, Laurent-Perrier unveiled new modern black and white packaging, which was showcased during the event.

Castle Brands Inc., owner of Knappogue Castle Irish Single Malt Whiskey, will have a special Father’s Day gift pack that will pair Knappogue Castle Whiskey, vintage 1994, with a premium-quality, emerald green golf towel embroidered with the Knappogue logo in gold and silver. The gift box is wrapped with a photograph of the 7th green at the Dromoland Castle Golf & Country Club, which is located a short distance from the 15th century Knappogue Castle.