Marketing

Brands move out of beverage zone with new collaborations

Heineken releases limited-edition jeans, Gruppo Campari launches 2014 calendar

A new take on relaxation drinks

Best known for its Koma Unwind relaxation drinks and shots, Bebida Beverage Co. (BeBevCo) is taking its expertise into a whole new category: ice cream. The company partnered with an 80-year-old ice cream manufacturer to create an ice cream enhanced with dietary supplements to promote relaxation and enhance sleep. The product initially was tested in Chocolate and Vanilla flavors with positive results, the company says. “The ice cream industry generates over $10 billion annually in the United States, combined with the 50 million consumers that don’t sleep well, plus the 50 million citizens suffering from anxiety and stress,” said BeBevCo Chief Executive Officer Brian Weber in a statement. “I believe there is a strong market for this type of product. For obvious reasons, we will be attentive and diligent on our packaging while remaining mindful of all regulatory issues that apply and take our time going into full production.”

Red, red wine

When it comes to wine, do most consumers prefer red or white? That’s the question that Sopexa Group set out to answer by conducting a poll of 1,400 wine importers, wholesalers and retailers around the world. The marketing agency found that Pinot Noir red wine was the most popular varietal followed by Sauvignon Blanc white wine. However, four of the Top 5 wine varieties were red. Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Merlot red wines rounded out the remaining three varietals.

A good fit

Heineken partnered with Japanese brand Neighborhood to release an exclusive pair of jeans for its #Heineken100 program. The indigo denim, rigid, narrow jeans feature Heineken green cross-stitching, a custom green leather label, and a Heineken-printed label with personalized packaging. The collaborative jeans only are available to the 100 individuals on the #Heineken100 list, which identifies and celebrates various tastemakers across the nation that represent Heineken’s “Man of the World.” Previous collaborations for #Heineken100 include Mark McNairy saddle shoes, a Public School camouflage duffle bag, a Tsovet watch, Android Homme sneakers, and tote bags designed by fashion duo Dee & Ricky.

Celebrate 2014

Actress Uma Thurman will celebrate with Campari fans all year long from the pages of the brand’s 2014 calendar “Worldwide Celebrations.” The 15th edition of the calendar captures the actress enjoying 12 festivals around the world. From the Spring Festival in Beijing to Mardi Gras in New Orleans to Midsummer’s Eve in England and Brazil’s Reveillon New Year’s celebration, the calendar’s pages span every continent and provide a window to the world, the company says. Nearly 10,000 copies of the calendar were printed, but none of them were available for purchase. Instead, the company gifted copies to its friends around the world, including business partners, distributors, retail partners and bartenders.

Chocolate for gold

Preparing to refuel athletes competing in the 2014 Winter Olympics as well as recreational athletes, The Milk Processor Education Program (MilkPEP) launched an Olympics-themed campaign highlighting chocolate milk as a recovery beverage. “Built with Chocolate Milk” includes print, TV, online and in-store components featuring USA Hockey player Zach Parise plus Women’s Ski Jumping USA athletes Abby Hughes, Alissa Johnson, Jessica Jerome, Lindsey Van, Nita Englund, Nina Lussi and Sarah Hendrickson. These representatives will join MilkPEP’s team of athletes who make chocolate milk their post-workout drink of choice, the company says. Also as part of “Built with Chocolate Milk,” the Olympic athletes are featured in a webisode series on gotchocolatemilk.com to show fans how they trained with chocolate milk to represent their country in Russia.

Full speed ahead

The Boston Beer Co.’s Twisted Tea brand joined forces with Richard Petty Motorsports (RPM) to support its No. 9 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Ford team. The hard iced tea brand will be an associate sponsor of the car driven by two-time Cup Series winner Marcos Ambrose during the 2014 season. As such, Twisted Tea’s logo will appear on the roof position of the No. 9 Ford for 18 events in 2014. In addition, the brand will be the team’s primary sponsor at its fall event at the Dover International Speedway. RPM and Twisted Tea will highlight this new partnership through promotions across the country in bars, convenience and grocery stores as well as through a co-branded national sweepstakes.

It’s the journey

Scotch whisky brand Glenfiddich raised a glass to the American bourbon industry with the release of its Age of Discovery Bourbon Cask Reserve. This single-malt whisky was aged for 19 years in American oak casks that previously were used to distill bourbon. For many years, bourbons mellowed in these barrels as they were carried down the Mississippi River to New Orleans where they would be bottled and shipped to their final destination. In a nod to this, Bourbon Cask Reserve’s secondary packaging includes imagery representing the Mississippi River and the casks’ expedition from America to Scotland. The limited-edition Scotch retailed for approximately $150 for a 700-ml bottle.

Save the birds

10Span Vineyards invited diners to raise a glass in support of National Bird Day and the California condor on Jan. 5. The wine brand takes its name from the California condor, which boasts the largest wingspan of any bird in North America, and features an image of the bird’s feather on its label. In honor of the holiday, 10Span is donating a percentage of its wine sales to the Ventana Wildlife Society, which has been working to reintroduce the bird to its native habitats in Central California since its extinction in the wild in 1987. 10Span Pinot Gris, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir wine varieties are available exclusively on-premise for $8-$13 a glass.