High Noon, Casa Azul Tee Up Golf Campaigns
Spirit of Gallo’s leading seltzer High Noon is taking a swing at golf by teaming up with lifestyle and golf apparel brand TravisMathew on a limited edition line of polos, hats and tees.
TravisMathew has enjoyed a swift rise in the golf industry since it was founded by golfer Travis Johnson in 2013. The exclusive collection was available starting June 27 online and direct-to-consumer shops nationwide.
The High Noon x TravisMathew collection further “solidifies High Noon’s presence in the golf space, where the brand is showing up across events, TV, and partnerships,” according to a statement. Part of High Noon’s early success came from its partnership with Barstool Sports— beyond a typical media buy, the hard seltzer company teamed up with the media company for exposure to Barstool’s 66 million monthly unique viewers.
But it’s not the only tequila seltzer vying for the golf course. Casa Azul announced another celebrity partnership this week: U.S. Women’s Open Champion Michelle Wie West. The athlete joins actor Eiza González and Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce as a brand investor. Founded by serial beverage entrepreneur Lance Collins— the beverage mogul behind Fuze, Core Hydration, and Body Armor—Casa Azul Tequila Soda launched in August 2022, and Casa Azul Organic Tequila launched in March 2023. After releasing the RTD, the company shifted its attention towards betting on celebrity investors and a “modern, luxury” brand to fuel sales.
Hennessy Celebrates Hip-Hop with Nas
A longtime favorite within the hip hop community, Hennessy is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the art form by partnering with rapper Nas on a limited-edition bottle.
The collaboration with the Grammy-Award winning artist includes a “HenNASsy” logo at an exclusive digital event that launched “Hennessy AI.bum Covers”, an AI-led, social-first experience transforming selfies into personalized album covers based on iconic Hip Hop eras. Nas also narrated a film in partnership with Renell Medrano, a photographer, who grew up in the Bronx and takes inspiration from her New York roots. To round out the campaign, on August 11— known as Hip Hop’s official birthday—Hennessy will host unique celebrations across 14 U.S. cities.
Revenue from the spirits and cognac segment of LVMH fell by 5% in Q1 2023 as Hennessy Cognac sales dipped in China and the U.S., the company reported in its first quarter revenue earnings report.
Costa Tequila Brings In Mountain Biker Ambassador
Costa Tequila has added freeride mountain biker Johny Salido as its newest brand ambassador. The bicycle enthusiast is a rising star in the international freeride mountain bike scene, and became the first Mexican to qualify for the Red Bull Rampage, a high profile freeride mountain bike event. Salido joins a team of Costa ambassadors from a range of backgrounds, including pro surfer Justin Quintal, chef Meredith Ouzounian, and olympic gold medalist Kaitlyn Farrington.
“I appreciate those who think differently,” said Salido. “We’re both into reimagining the possibilities of our fields, and it’s exciting to support a stellar Mexican-made product.”
Costa differentiates itself as a ‘Hi/Lo’ blend of tequila offering a lineup that intentionally brings together flavor profiles from agave sourced in two traditionally separate tequila regions in Jalisco, Mexico. The brand kicked off the year with a distribution expansion, and recently launched a tequila-based coffee liqueur.
Malibu Asks: Do You Like Piña Coladas?
Just in time for summer karaoke Malibu debuted a modern remix of “Escape (The Piña Colada Song)” with pop music artist, Jax. The Pernod Ricard rum brand is aiming to establish the piña colada as symbolic “of a lifestyle not just during the summer, but one that goes beyond that with this feel-good favorite song that you can enjoy anytime, anywhere,” said Matt Foley, vice president of marketing for Malibu.
The campaign includes a music video spot directed by Drew Kirsch, known for his star-studded collaborations with artists like Taylor Swift. A limited-edition collection in collaboration with resort wear brand Kenny Flowers will also drop on National Piña Colada Day July 10. A sweepstakes to win a $15 Venmo, as part of Malibu’s pledge to give away a total of $100,000 to Piña Colada enthusiasts, is also underway via social media.
Ilegal Launches Solo Exhibit
Ilegal, a leading mezcal brand possibly soon to be owned by Bacadri, is continuing its campaigns featuring independent artists with a solo exhibit from multimedia artist Alimo.
The artist is best known for his curvy post-pop imagery and highly saturated colors. Each physical piece sold will be paired with its own unique digital asset (NFT), illustrating the intersection of technology, art and sustainability that Alimo explores in his work. Solitude Safari: Exploring NYC’s Peaceful Paradises will be exhibited on weekends from July 8-27 at the Ilegal headquarters in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, with an opening party on July 8.
Ilegal has become a major player in the mezcal scene since debuting in 2005 after founder John Rexer began smuggling bottles from Oaxaca, Mexico to Café No Sé, his clandestine bar and music hub in Antigua, Guatemala. The brand’s identity has leaned into its contraband and bohemian-friendly history, producing a music series as well as launching political campaigns around immigration and LGBTQ+ rights.