By Allison Watkinson
TLL Reporter
Popular rock band KISS has partnered with Brands For Fans on the development of a licensed KISS-themed alcohol called Cold Gin.
The product is named after the band’s track Cold Gin that was released in 1974. The product has received two internationally recognized awards for quality to date. It is the fourth product released in the Drink It Up By KISS branded liquor collection produced by Brands For Fans.
Brands For Fans is an award-winning Swedish alcohol marketing and sales company that produces products alongside artists.
Throughout their 45-year career in the music industry, KISS has earned 26 Gold and Platinum Album Record Awards. To date, KISS has released 44 albums, with 14 achieving Platinum status and three albums reaching multi-platinum.
The KISS themed Cold Gin features a styled bottle, including silver and gold details, with all four band members metallically illustrated on each side of the Brooklyn Bridge.
The main label features a gold disc and images of New York City and the Manhattan Skyline. It also features an art deco pattern behind the disc that is based on the scales of The Demon’s boots. The label artwork is an homage to the band’s roots.
The alcohol marketing industry has been experiencing a boom in the celebrity endorsement sector in recent years. The increased popularity of celebrity endorsements is largely due to the dedicated fanbases that celebrities bring to the table.
“The growth of the global alcoholic beverages market is driven by increase in the global young‐adult demographic, a surge in disposable income, and rise in consumer demand for premium/super premium products especially for those owned by and/or endorsed by very well-known celebrities, from Hollywood actors, entertainers and sports superstars,” says a recent FNM report.
“The last decade has seen an ever-increasing number of A-level actors, directors, musicians taking on financial and creative stakes in the alcoholic beverages business. The manufacturers are operating under the belief that partnering with a celebrity (for existing and new products) can increase visibility and offer consumers a bit of insider status.”
Due to the restrictions placed on the advertisement of alcohol products, there is an added layer of difficulty in developing marketing campaigns to boost liquor sales. The added social media presence that celebrity partnerships offer the alcohol industry greatly reduces marketing costs, as well as extending the reach of advertisements.
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