Seagram Launches Holiday Campaign

Fresh from the closing of its acquisition by France’s Pernod Ricard and Britain’s Diageo, Seagram Spirits and Wine Group is launching a new online campaign, aimed at boosting consumption of its products during the holidays.

The holiday period is especially critical for the wine and spirits industry. December is the biggest month for distilled spirits sales, and 12.2 percent of annual consumption occurs during the month, according to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States.

The campaign, centered on Seagram’s recently launched Tequila Don Julio brand, leverages the company’s sponsorship of the Legends of Latin Music concert series.

Banner ads and email messages will be used to attract people to a site that details information about the concert series, about Latin music, and, of course, about Tequila Don Julio. Visitors to the site can sign up to win an all-expenses-paid weekend in San Francisco, which includes a ticket to see legendary musician Eddie Palmieri at the Fillmore.

Seagram is working with Yahoo to host the promotional Web site and to power the sweepstakes portion of the promotion. The company is utilizing CentrPort’s software to collect and process consumer data aggregated from the Web site, such as consumer activity, demographic, and transaction information.

“We see this as a critical competitive edge to forge relationships with existing consumers — and win new ones — in the increasingly crowded eMarketing space,” said Parnell Woodard, global director of interactive marketing at Seagram Spirits and Wine Group.

The $8.1 billion deal for Vivendi Universal to sell Seagram Spirits and Wine Group to Pernod Ricard and Diageo closed today, after U.S. anti-trust authorities gave the nod earlier this week. The group produces and markets brands like Chivas Regal, The Glenlivet Scotch Whiskies, Crown Royal, and Seagram’s Extra Dry Gin.