AB InBev Finally Making Deal With US Over Modelo

Anheuser-Busch InBev NV, which controls close to 19 percent of the globe’s beer market, has been trying to buy Mexico’s Grupo Modelo SAB, which owns close to 3 percent of the world’s beer market, for months now, only held up by the pesky US government, which thought the merger could mean too much power for AB InBev. 

The two sides have been talking since at least February about how a deal might be structured so that everybody gets what they want. And now, just days before the two sides were requested to report to a US District Judge, the word on the street is that they have come to an agreement, Bloomberg.com reports.

In order to have this merger occur, Modelo will have to “sell control of all its brands in the US, as well as a brewery it built in Piedras Negras, Mexico, to Constellation Brands (STZ), a winemaker and drink-distribution company,” Bloomberg reports. As part of the new agreement, InBev “gave up an option to buy back a stake in Crown Imports LLC, the US distributor of Corona and the other Modelo brands.” Crown will end up being owned by Constellation.Continue reading...

Back when Shaquille O’Neal was in his NBA playing days and couldn’t seem to sink a foul shot to save his life, there were plenty of coaches and fans who likely could have used a drink after watching him botch another attempt. Shaq has since retired from playing the game, of course, but he’s still ready to help people find a drink, though in a totally different way this time.

O’Neal is about to launch his own line of vodkas, the New York Post reports, that will be coconut-flavored, sugar- and gluten-free, hit store shelves early in 2013 and be called “Luv Shaq.” (One wonders how the B52’s are taking this.)

Drew Adelman, the founder of Devotion Vodka, which will produce the Shaq-branded sugar-free and gluten-free liquor, says that the plan is to go up against Sean “Diddy” Combs’ Ciroc vodka. Devotion was also responsible for a vodka that had Jersey Shore’s Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino’s name on it.

O’Neal, who now makes big bucks as an analyst on TNT’s Inside the NBA, has been on a self-promotion bender this year — or as he calls them on his Twitter bio, "random acts of Shaqness."Continue reading...

Among hip-hopreneur Diddy’s many pressing responsibilities to furthering the brand of himself is as a “brand ambassador” of Ciroc vodka. So when he sees someone sipping on some other brand, he’s got to, you know, let them in on the secret that his vodka might be better than theirs.

Diddy recently did just this in an Atlanta nightclub when he noticed an attendee drinking Grey Goose vodka, an archrival. It didn’t help him that the whole thing, like everything else these days, was captured on video and soon uploaded to YouTube where anyone in the world (who doesn’t live in a totalitarian government state) can witness his suggestion. But even he now admits he came across a little too strongly.Continue reading...

Molson Coors’ announcement that it will launch Animée, a new “bloat-resistant” beer aimed at women, in the UK this fall has not exactly been welcomed with squeals of joy and air kisses by female commentators.

Many seem to view the new campaign as a cosmetic condescension that will likely do little to make up for decades of sexist marketing that have driven women away from beer in the first place.

As Melissa Cole puts on the sarcasm: “It's called Animee, because girls are drawn to anime and the name Aimee. It's pretty! It tastes like 'light, sparkling, finely filtered beer' (also known as Zima).”

Ouch. Kim Conte at The Stir is even more blunt: “Just because I'm female doesn't mean I like to drink crappy beer.”

The message? Try a little R-E-S-P-E-C-T ... it might be more effective than frou-frou marketing in enticing women to embrace beer.Continue reading...

Gwen Stefani for HP, Michael Jordan for Hanes, Dr. Dre for HP, Peyton Manning for Sony, Lady Gaga for Polarioid, Lance Armstong for Radio Shack, Michael Vick for… ArTran?

A new study confirms what a lot of people on both ends of the advertising paradigm suspect: celebrity endorsements aren't worth it. My colleague Sheila Shayon earlier pondered this question — find out why the evidence is swinging in favor of taking back the swag bags and shutting down the gravy train.Continue reading...

Vodka has stepped out of Siberia and into the disco, reports OMMA magazine, which highlights Smirnoff (and its recently-wrapped global Nightlife Exchange Project), its Diageo sibling Ciroc, and the new Wódka vodka brand as brands getting their boogie on. (We'd add Britain's vodka vixens and Sweden's Kanon organic vodka to that list).

Besides music, art and alcohol are a natural fit. Absolut vodka has also partnered with New York artist Krink to create 15 individual custom-designed bottles using Krink's signature ink in black, white and silver.

Martell cognac also just collaborated with modern architect Jean Nouvel to create the Martell Amber Lamp, 50 of which will be produced and installed in venues such as art galleries around the globe.Continue reading...

New Winter Wonderland of Alcoholic Whipped Cream

The holiday spirit is often helped along with alcoholic spirits, from booze-soaked fruitcake to hot buttered rum. Now even your most innocent of holiday desserts (pumpkin pie, anyone?) can go from nice to a little bit naughty with the addition of alcoholic whipped cream. Two brands have been released in recent months: CREAM (“Get Whipped”) and Whipped Lighting (sold as Whipahol). Both are selling well.

Coming in the wake of the Four Loko debacle, apparently some college officials are concerned about the trend, but we really don't think they should be getting their silver bells in a bunch. While both brands contain an alcohol content of 15%, about the same alcohol as three beers, that's if you consume the whole can. Probably more danger here of the dreaded "freshman 15" weight gain than of alcohol abuse.

After the jump: Ciroc and P. Diddy, Johnnie Walker takes Manhattan, and some festive red noses at the pub.Continue reading...