News Briefs for July 18, 2014
July 18, 2014•Energy-industry billionaire and wine collector Bill Koch announced on July 15 that he has settled his six-year lawsuit against New York auction house Acker Merrall & Condit, Wine Spectator reports. Koch claimed that he had purchased over $2 million worth of old wine from Acker that he later discovered was counterfeit. The settlement terms, according to Koch, include a “substantial” cash payment and an agreement that Acker will change its terms of sale to allow purchasers to return wine suspected of being counterfeit. Neither side would disclose the size of the payment nor the exact language of the deal.
•Walmart has contributed $1 million to pro-liquor organization Our Community, Our Dollars, which is currently campaigning to turn three Arkansas counties—Craighead, Faulkner and Saline—from dry to wet. According to local news reports, Walmart’s contribution has been split evenly between each county’s respective Our Community, Our Dollars committee. The group’s push is part of a wider initiative to turn all the state’s 75 counties wet (around half are currently dry)—a change that will require more than 50% of the vote on Arkansas’ November general election ballot to pass. Our Community, Our Dollars’ Craighead, Faulkner and Saline efforts, however, will be included on a separate ballot question, giving the three counties the potential to turn wet even if statewide legislation fizzles. Headquartered in Bentonville, Arkansas, Walmart operates around 107 stores throughout its home state.
•Moët Hennessy’s Belvedere vodka has extended its “Know The Difference” campaign with a new iteration, titled “Unlearn/Relearn.” The renewed push, which made its debut earlier this week, asks consumers to rethink common myths about vodka, while also putting emphasis on Belvedere’s heritage and quality. Unlearn/Relearn includes TV and digital advertising components, as well as video content available on the brand’s website and YouTube. The video series, titled “Characters of the Night,” features mixologists discussing cocktail culture, Martinis and Belvedere.
•Heineken USA has launched a new campaign to support its recently-reformulated Heineken Light label. The effort, which seeks to capitalize on Heineken Light’s “Best Tasting Low Calorie Lager” award from the 2013 World Beer Championships, stars actor Neil Patrick Harris and puts the focus on Heineken Light’s new taste and package. The label’s update includes the addition of Cascade hops, which give the 99-calorie brew a more IPA-like flavor and finish, as well as the introduction of a taller, slimmer-necked bottle and a new 8.5-ounce “slim can” format. The “Best Tasting Light Beer” campaign is currently running across TV advertising, digital, and other platforms.
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