Diageo seeks bigger slice of American pie

Diageo is making a concerted bid to increase its share of the US spirits market with a host of new launches.

This week saw the debut of the Delicious Pours campaign for Captain Morgan Lime Bite, a flavoured variant from the rum brand which initially hit the US shelves in December 2009.

The series of three TV adverts will target sports programming on ESPN, TBS and TNT, as well as digital sponsorship on Yahoo! Sports’ coverage of the NBA playoffs.

Meawhile Tequila brand Jose Cuervo has announced the introduction of two new pre-mixed flavoured products.

Designed to bring a convenient twist to the classic margarita, the Jose Cuervo Authentic Pomegranate Margarita and Jose Cuervo Authentic Mango Margarita are being made available in lightweight PET bottles to encourage purchase for barbeques and outings.

Both products carry an abv of 9.95% and an RRP of $4.99 for a 375 millilitre bottle or $15.99 for a 1.75 litre bottle.

Amy Bidwell, brand manager for Jose Cuervo Tequilas at Diageo, outlined the motivation behind the launch, saying: “Consumers are seeking, now more than ever, affordable products that add quality and convenience to their lives”.

Finally, Dutch vodka brand Ketel One has unveiled Ketel One Oranje, a super-premium addition to its US range with an RRP of $25.

Launched on April 30 to coincide with the Netherlands’ celebration of Queen Beatrix’s official birthday, the orange theme capitalises on the colour’s strong association with Ketel One’s country of origin.

Carl Nolet Jr, 11th generation distiller and executive vice-president of Nolet Spirits USA, which produces and shares the global rights to Ketel One with Diageo, explained: “We’ve remained true to our Dutch heritage and used only the best ingredients to create a product we’re proud to say is the first all-natural orange flavored vodka worthy of drinking on the rocks.”

Gabriel Savage, 05.05.2010