40 Beverage Dynamics • May/June 2014
www.beveragedynamics.com
W
hat do George Clooney, Justin Timberlake, P Diddy, Carlos Santana and
Sammy Hagar all have in common? They are all hitching their stars to
tequila, with category sales volume and revenues both enjoying robust
growth. Much of the interest and sales center around the super- and ultra-premium lev-
els, with many new entries. Messaging puts an emphasis on artisanal craft and traditional
techniques. Experimentation with barrel fi nishes has created
a synergy with the whiskey category. Generating waves in
the media and blogosphere are a surfeit of category news,
including distribution deals, acquisitions and new products.
Tequila is moving upwards, as consumers buy into this versatile spirit, that's both sip-
pable and mixable.
"It's such an exciting time to be in the tequila category, with the growth we are
experiencing," says Ann Stickler, senior vice president, managing director of tequila for
Brown-Forman.
A SPRINKLING OF STARDUST
A few tequila brands have long been associated with celebrities, but lately the stars
have really come out. Actor George Clooney, singer Justin Timberlake and rapper
Propelling the Mexican spirit into the fi rmament are celeb
involvement, silvery expressions and celestial craftsmanship.
BY THOMAS
HENRY STRENK
W
Sean Combs are all getting into the act.
Whether this is good or ill for the brand
depends upon how the stars are aligned.
Cabo Wabo Tequila, for example, was
born in 1996 on the back roads of Guada-
lajara by legendary musician and tequila
aficionado, Sammy Hagar. "With so
many tequilas on the market, celebrities
are often used to break through the clutter
and give consumers a human connection
to the brand," says Kathleen Schuart, se-
nior marketing director, White Spirits, for
Campari America. (The company's port-
folio also includes the Espolon Tequila
brand.) "The difference for Cabo Wabo
is that Sammy Hagar is not just a spokes-
person, he is a true founder and visionary
of the brand as a whole," she adds.
"Celebrities are driving interest in the
category. Of course, we expect some of
these celebrity associations to come and
go and some will ultimately disappear,"
comments Jose Hermosillo, founder of
Casa Noble Tequila, which has long been
associated with musician Carlos Santana.
Academy Award winner George
Clooney is the dazzle behind the Ca-
samigos brand, which was launched
early last year. The brand was conceived
by Clooney and longtime friends Rande
Gerber, founder of Gerber Spirits, and
Michael Meldman, CEO of Discovery
Land Company, after some tequila-
fi lled nights and years of working with
a master distiller. Casamigos is currently
available in Blanco and Reposado, with
a suggested retail price of $44.99 and
$49.99 respectively.
This April Casamigos teamed up with
Sidney Frank Importing, as the exclusive
TEQUILA'S
RISING STAR
"With so many tequilas
on the market, celebrities
are often used to break
through the clutter and
give consumers a human
connection to the brand."
— Kathleen Schuart, senior marketing
director, White Spirits, Campari America