05 Nov 2009
By Paul Mitchell
I have been reviewing a product campaign that is currently running on television for 1800 Tequila. There are two commercials in total (running in the United States and at the product's website), and the spot I have seen features Michael Imperioli, the swarthy actor who played Christopher Moltisanti on the Sopranos, extolling how great this new tequila is. The topic of celebrity endorsements has been discussed on this site before -- and it is understandable why a product would want to connect itself with the popularity of the Sopranos show -- but that is not what is intriguing about the advertisement. The entire spot's focus is on how the lid of the bottle can be used as a shot glass. Innovative? Not really. Interesting? Perhaps. It does, however, underscore the importance of advertising in general: that the message should be about the benefits of the product (ie. taste) and not the gimmicks.
The spirits trade is full of gimmicks and promotional items that attempt to entice a buyer at point-of-purchase. There are a tonne of them: samples of other liqueurs; hats; beer openers; passes to events; even florescent cup holders. Crown Royal's everlasting fame can, in part, be attributed to those purple bags with the gold, braided ropes (the bags even made an appearance on the Simpsons, the truest measure of popular culture). People love free stuff. I have seen people trample each other at sporting events and drink shows just to get a t-shirt. It is fun to watch sometimes. But the idea of marketing a product like 1800 Tequila based on nothing other than a cool shot-glass lid is risky, especially when the product is being targeted as a premium brand.
1800 Tequila is produced by distillers Casa Cuervo S.A. de C.V. who also make Jose Cuervo tequila, one of the world's most popular. Unlike its much-loved but "unrefined" relation, 1800 Tequila is made in Jalisco, Mexico, from 100 percent Blue Agave plants, the source for the world's best premium reposados and anejos. Positioned for a much more sophisticated consumer as a step up on the regular silver and gold lines of Cuervo, both the advertising and the gimmicky lid undermine that messaging. Other than convenience, the interesting part of the lid is that the alcohol can be poured while the lid is still on the bottle to ensure the "perfect pour". It is understandable that at times a measuring lid may be fun and practical, however, it seems ill-suited for a target audience that prefers higher quality taste. The ads are slicky produced yet do not mention one word about the flavour of the spirit or the nuances that set it apart, not only from the basic cheaper lines of Jose Cuervo but also from the other premium aged tequilas that cost the same higher price.
With the high marketing budget and smooth advertisements running across many media channels, 1800 Tequila will no doubt win buyers over and do quite well. The real question is to the lifespan of the product once the novelty of the lid wears off and customers are left wondering what the fuss is all about to merit spending more for this tequila.
Facts About 1800 Tequila:
• Double-distilled from the juice of the Blue Agave plant
• Made and distilled in Jalisco, Mexico
• Juice from the pit of the plant called the pina
• 1800 Tequila is 100 percent agave
• 50 percent of tequila's sugars must come from agave
Silver tequila is either un-aged or aged up to 59 days. Reposado tequilas are aged for two to 11 months. Anejo tequilas are aged for a year or more.
Available at Vintage LCBO Stores in Ontario:
1800 Anejo Reserva Tequila, Mexico
Vintages 95117, 750 mL, $59.95 Cdn
1800 Select Silver Tequila, Mexico
Vintages 113217, 750 mL, $42.95 Cdn
Product Website:
http://www.1800tequila.com/index.php
I have been reviewing a product campaign that is currently running on television for 1800 Tequila. There are two commercials in total (running in the United States and at the product's website), and the spot I have seen features Michael Imperioli, the swarthy actor who played Christopher Moltisanti on the Sopranos, extolling how great this new tequila is. The topic of celebrity endorsements has been discussed on this site before -- and it is understandable why a product would want to connect itself with the popularity of the Sopranos show -- but that is not what is intriguing about the advertisement. The entire spot's focus is on how the lid of the bottle can be used as a shot glass. Innovative? Not really. Interesting? Perhaps. It does, however, underscore the importance of advertising in general: that the message should be about the benefits of the product (ie. taste) and not the gimmicks.
The spirits trade is full of gimmicks and promotional items that attempt to entice a buyer at point-of-purchase. There are a tonne of them: samples of other liqueurs; hats; beer openers; passes to events; even florescent cup holders. Crown Royal's everlasting fame can, in part, be attributed to those purple bags with the gold, braided ropes (the bags even made an appearance on the Simpsons, the truest measure of popular culture). People love free stuff. I have seen people trample each other at sporting events and drink shows just to get a t-shirt. It is fun to watch sometimes. But the idea of marketing a product like 1800 Tequila based on nothing other than a cool shot-glass lid is risky, especially when the product is being targeted as a premium brand.
1800 Tequila is produced by distillers Casa Cuervo S.A. de C.V. who also make Jose Cuervo tequila, one of the world's most popular. Unlike its much-loved but "unrefined" relation, 1800 Tequila is made in Jalisco, Mexico, from 100 percent Blue Agave plants, the source for the world's best premium reposados and anejos. Positioned for a much more sophisticated consumer as a step up on the regular silver and gold lines of Cuervo, both the advertising and the gimmicky lid undermine that messaging. Other than convenience, the interesting part of the lid is that the alcohol can be poured while the lid is still on the bottle to ensure the "perfect pour". It is understandable that at times a measuring lid may be fun and practical, however, it seems ill-suited for a target audience that prefers higher quality taste. The ads are slicky produced yet do not mention one word about the flavour of the spirit or the nuances that set it apart, not only from the basic cheaper lines of Jose Cuervo but also from the other premium aged tequilas that cost the same higher price.
With the high marketing budget and smooth advertisements running across many media channels, 1800 Tequila will no doubt win buyers over and do quite well. The real question is to the lifespan of the product once the novelty of the lid wears off and customers are left wondering what the fuss is all about to merit spending more for this tequila.
Facts About 1800 Tequila:
• Double-distilled from the juice of the Blue Agave plant
• Made and distilled in Jalisco, Mexico
• Juice from the pit of the plant called the pina
• 1800 Tequila is 100 percent agave
• 50 percent of tequila's sugars must come from agave
Silver tequila is either un-aged or aged up to 59 days. Reposado tequilas are aged for two to 11 months. Anejo tequilas are aged for a year or more.
Available at Vintage LCBO Stores in Ontario:
1800 Anejo Reserva Tequila, Mexico
Vintages 95117, 750 mL, $59.95 Cdn
1800 Select Silver Tequila, Mexico
Vintages 113217, 750 mL, $42.95 Cdn
Product Website:
http://www.1800tequila.com/index.php
