Alcohol marketing news & analysis

Smirnoff to feature in Madonna video

Madonna is extending her partnership with Diageo through a product placement deal, which will feature Smirnoff vodka in the video for her new single 'Give Me All Your Luvin'.

Crayon nets Grant's global digital task

Grant's, the William Grant & Sons-owned whisky brand, has appointed Crayon London to its global digital and social media account.

Heineken unveils Valentine's Day Facebook app

Heineken is launching a Facebook app for Valentine's Day called 'The Serenade', which enables users to invite potential partners on a date via humorous personalised songs.

Sector Insight: Dark spirits

Brand-owners are taking steps to overcome the perception of dark spirits, such as whisky, as drinks for older consumers by broadening their appeal to a younger audience.

Pernod-Ricard revives Absinthe with global campaign

Pernod-Ricard is relaunching its absinthe brand with a campaign that plays on its cultural influence, following last year's legalisation of the spirit in France after a nearly a century of prohibition.

Carlsberg UK unveils San Miguel Fresca

Carlsberg UK is rolling out its first brand extension to San Miguel in a bid to compete with summer-time lager brands such as Sol, Corona and Brahma.

Russian Standard calls global ad review

Russian Standard Vodka is conducting a global review of its advertising arrangements as it prepares for a major brand push.

Bulmers kicks off creative review

Bulmers is reviewing its £3 million advertising account as it aims to strengthen its positioning against rivals such as Magners.

Absolut Vodka launches augmented reality app 2

Absolut Vodka is launching an iPhone and iPad app that uses augmented reality to take users on a tour of the drink's Swedish home.

Pernod Ricard names Patrick Venning as spirits marketing director

Pernod Ricard UK has promoted Patrick Venning to the role of marketing director - spirits.

Fifa moves to overturn Brazilian beer ban

Football fans must be able to drink beer at stadiums during the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, insists Fifa, football's governing world body.

Heineken rolls out second 'Open your World' ad on VoD

Heineken is rolling out the second film from the brand's global 'Open Your World' campaign through video on demand (VoD) in the UK this month.

Magners consolidates digital into Red Brick Road

Magners, the C&C Group-owned cider brand, has moved its digital and social media account out of Glue Isobar into The Red Brick Road, which already handles the brand's above-the-line advertising.

Brewers seek ad agency to boost beer's image 1

A consortium of the nation's largest brewers is looking for an advertising agency to help improve the image of beer.

Diageo backs Jeremiah Weed bourbon-flavoured brews

Diageo is looking to rival the popularity of Crabbie's Alcoholic Ginger Beer with a campaign for its Jeremiah Weed Brew range.

Jacob's Creek signs up former tennis ace Andre Agassi for global campaign

Jacob's Creek has signed a three-year partnership with Andre Agassi, which will see the former tennis champion feature in a global promotional campaign.

Budweiser signs up Sam Allardyce and Ian Holloway for radio ad 1

Budweiser has signed up football managers Sam Allardyce and Ian Holloway to star in radio ads highlighting its sponsorship of the FA Cup, which reaches its third round this weekend.

Chambord readies debut outdoor activity

Chambord, the French black raspberry liqueur, is to run its first-ever outdoor push over the festive period.

Tetley's revamps ITV4 idents in £5m push

Tetley's has refreshed its ITV4 idents to support the brand's redesign as part of a £5m campaign that will see the ale on ITV4 for 47-hours every week.

Supermarkets battle it out for Christmas shoppers

Asda, Tesco and Sainsbury's will compete on Boxing Day and New Year's Day for shoppers' wallets, while the major supermarkets try to outdo each other with ambitious job-creation plans for 2012.