The excitement surrounding the lives of flappers and fun-seekers of the Roaring ’20s still enchant many of us almost a century later. This culture also recently inspired some interesting beverage marketing pushes, particularly following the premiere of Warner Brothers Entertainment’s “The Great Gatsby” movie last month.
“The Great Gatsby,” based on the F. Scott Fitzgerald novel, revolves around the wealthy, young Jay Gatsby (played by Leonardo DiCaprio) who frequently throws lavish parties complete with bootlegged alcohol during the Prohibition era.
Some alcohol brands have combined this 1920s passion for entertainment with the movie release to showcase how their brands can be a part of responsible enjoyment.
MillerCoors’ Batch 19, a brand of its Tenth and Blake division, threw an extravagant party in Chicago last month in true 1920s fashion to promote the pre-Prohibition beer recipe and celebrate the launch of the movie. Guests were whisked back to the Roaring ’20s with the help of a swing band, the venue’s speakeasy environment, “grayscalers” or Batch 19 models that were painted from head-to-toe to appear in black and white carrying anti-Prohibition picket signs, and, of course, Batch 19 beer.
Because cocktailing is essential to “The Great Gatsby” storyline, Beam Inc.’s Skinnygirl cocktails line also joined the Roaring ’20s bandwagon with a media push full of decorating ideas and drink recipes for consumers of legal drinking age to throw their own Gatsby-style garden parties. For example, the brand suggested using Skinnygirl’s Cucumber Vodka, Bare Naked Vodka and new Moscato Wine and White Cherry Vodka products to put a modern twist on classic cocktails.
The glitz and glamour of the past has flowed down to the present, and beverage brands are helping preserve this exciting, vintage essence to the last drop.
