Belvedere
Event structure
LVMH-owned Belvedere has pushed its Polish heritage credentials on Instagram and through partnerships with designers and music channels. It has previously worked with agencies including Blackjack Promotions.
Social footprint
@Belvedere_UK has 14,900 followers on Twitter and 149,000 on Instagram, while the brand has more than two million likes on Facebook.
Recent campaigns
In March, the brand partnered with Vice’s music channel, Noisey, to encourage music fans to discover new artists. The campaign included a three-part video series, which was brought to life at US festivals Coachella, SXSW and Ultra, where up-and-coming artists were given the chance to perform on stage.
Belvedere hosted the Sunset Sessions at London’s Sky Garden, a summer-long series of events showcasing emerging British musical talent. On the 5 May launch night, singer Ray BLK treated guests to an intimate performance as they sipped Belvedere cocktails and enjoyed the sunset.
Other acts to feature later in the series included Raleigh Ritchie (the musical alias of Game of Thrones actor Jacob Anderson), who celebrated the launch of his record label with an acoustic set in June.
Latest campaign
At this month’s London Cocktail Week, Belvedere staged its Single Estate Rooms immersive experience. Taking place on 5 and 6 October, the activation transported guests from East London to an ‘enchanted natural world’. They were given the chance to reinvent some classic rye cocktails at a Belvedere cocktail masterclass, as well as gaining access to a private bar.
Grey Goose
Event structure
Bacardi-owned Grey Goose has collaborated with music labels and cinema partners, as well as upmarket retailers such as Harvey Nichols.
Social footprint
@GreyGooseUK has 18,500 Twitter followers. The @greygoose Instagram page has 233,000 followers and its Facebook page has generated close to 2.5 million likes.
Recent campaigns
Last December, Grey Goose staged a two-day holiday shopping experience in New York's SoHo, presented by French art director and model Julia Restoin Roitfeld. Called Le Marché Bleu, the event offered an exclusive selection of rare and quintessentially Parisian luxury products and served up signature cocktails and decadent bar snacks.
To showcase its Le Grand Fizz vodka cocktail, the brand forged a summer-long partnership with Rooftop Cinema in London, with films screened at locations including Peckham’s Bussey Building, Roof East Stratford, The Queen of Hoxton and Kensington Roof Gardens.
Grey Goose served its Le Grand Fizz alongside a number of other cocktails and also staged a pop-up event offering masterclasses, tastings and personalised versions of the summer cocktail.
Latest campaign
Le Grand Fizz Brunch Club, a dining and cocktail experience personalised to each individual's taste, took place in London in August. The experience was inspired by the five key taste profiles – sweet, sour, salt, umami and bitter. Bespoke Grey Goose Le Grand Fizz cocktails were customised to each diner’s individual taste profile, while brunch dishes were designed to match the drinks on offer.
Verdict
Both brands have tapped into the music sector to curate appealing and quirky activations aimed at a new generation of vodka drinkers. Grey Goose’s additional focus on dining may just have given it the edge.