Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/23459
CoVer STORY ssion JAMESON SUrPASSeS A MiLLion CASeS— WitH no SiGnS of SLoWinG doWn Pays off by Anthony Head “Lost Barrel” is the title of the Jameson Irish Whiskey commercial that’s known to many by now. It’s an excerpt from an epic sea voyage with a terrible storm and a giant octopus in the plot (an entertaining alternative to the usual bar-banter pieces cluttering up the timeouts during football season). The 30-second spot follows the brand’s founder, John Jameson, as he saves a single barrel of his whiskey that had fallen overboard in 1781. Just imagine how he’d take the news that a million cases of his fabled Irish whiskey were sold in this country in 2010. (That’s one out of every three bottles sold worldwide.) Yet, as significant as it is to achieve the million-case sales mile- stone, don’t look for Jameson to be slowing down anytime soon. The brand has nearly doubled in size over the past three years, making it by far the strongest driver of the Irish whiskey category. “Our rate of growth is accelerating. We’re now the fastest growing premium spirit brand in the U.S.,” says Wayne Hartunian, Vice President of Whiskies and Cognac for Pernod Ricard USA. A brand does not achieve that standing without having gained the enthusiasm of guys 25 to 35 years old—a coveted demographic that is also sure to love a thrilling sea story. “There’s a certain tone to that commercial spot—it reflects how the brand is serious whiskey that doesn’t take itself too seriously,” Hartunian says, adding that Jameson is often perceived as something of a consumer’s “alternative” whiskey, with highly refined scotch on one end and the rebellious spirit behind january–february 201 1 / the tasting panel / 53 PHOTO COURTESY OF PERNOD RICARD USA.