Jun. 3, 2022
Spring is always a time for growth and renewal, and that’s just what is happening at Diageo this season. Let’s take a quick look at big moves Diageo is taking to connect with consumers, build better communities, and protect the natural world, too.
Astral Tequila: A Star is Born
Diageo has added a new super-premium tequila to their stellar portfolio, Astral Tequila.
Astral is crafted with 100% Blue Weber agave through a production method steeped in traditional techniques and features a unique milling process using a stone wheel that crushes the juices from the agave fibers. Those crushed fibers, or bagazo, are then used in the fermentation process to make use of more of the agave plant, according to the company, which creates a complex yet smooth tequila with notes of crisp citrus, clover honey, and bright white pepper, with underlying agave and an abundance of tropical fruit.
Christina Choi, Senior Vice President of Tequila, Diageo North America, called Astral a “delicious, unique tequila,” and added that part of the launch includes the creation of a "sustainability initiative where we upcycle our spent agave fibers to make bricks that will be used to create new places for people to gather in local communities in Mexico. That's what Astral Tequila is all about, brightening connections."
Diageo also shared a new recipe, specific for Astral Tequila: The Stellar Margarita.
6 oz Astral Tequila Blanco
2 oz Fresh Lime Juice
2 oz Agave Nectar
Top Up with Club Soda
Garnish: Lime
Glassware: 4 Rocks Glasses
Astral Tequila is available now in your market. Connect with us to order.
Diageo Supports UnitedMasters
Our friends at Diageo know the importance of nurturing creativity, and how to take the fruits of that creativity to the next level. Now, the international marketing titan has announced a huge partnership with the UnitedMasters platform to build relationships between major brands and unsigned music artists on the verge of blowing up. This new endeavor, The Independent(s) Exchange, will open new economic avenues for creators and allow Diageo to design brand experiences powered by independent artists and access a library of UnitedMasters top artists' music, according to a recent statement from the company.
Steve Stoute, Founder and CEO of UnitedMasters, said that "Brands aren't investing enough in Black media, and the creator economy is revealing obvious gaps in how diverse creators are being celebrated, monetized, and capitalized on for brand relationships,” and that the Independent(s) Exchange will “create a more equitable ecosystem for artists, ensuring that brand dollars are distributed instead of flowing only to top-performing artists."
Diageo brands will be prominently featured side-by-side with UnitedMasters across a series of activations. Additionally, Diageo will have first-look access into the UnitedMasters community of over one million-plus young, diverse creators representing culture across various races, genres, and mentalities unearthing valuable cultural intelligence. The Exchange will allow brands a rare opportunity to underwrite emerging artists on the rise, create wide-ranging content soundtracked by UnitedMasters artists, and ultimately invest in artist independence.
"Our partnership with UnitedMasters will further cement Diageo's brands as mainstays in culture and insert our portfolio in the musical sphere for decades to come. Our excitement around how our brands will be organically integrated into a community of diverse, young adult creators can't be understated," said Sophie Kelly, Sr. Vice President, Whiskey, Diageo North America.
Bulleit Rebuilding America’s Forests
Back in October of 2020, we brought you news of Bulleit’s partnership with the forestry organization American Forests, and their commitment to planting one million new trees by 2025. Now, we can confirm that Bulleit met that goal a full three years ahead of schedule.
Altogether, Bulleit’s efforts, with American Forests, have resulted in the restoration of more than 2,000 acres of forest landscapes across America. This restoration will preserve the forests' ability to mitigate climate change, clean water and provide a healthy ecosystem for wildlife to thrive.
Now that their first goal has been met and exceeded, Bulleit is embarking on a new mission to improve tree equity within economically disadvantaged communities and help ensure that all people have access to the benefits of trees. Bulleit sees trees as critical infrastructure for improving overall quality of life and as integral to mitigating climate change. Bulleit is committed to its shared mission with American Forests to advance tree equity and ensure tree cover in cities is equitably distributed.
"Our commitment to a greener future does not stop with how we make our whiskey or our recent reforestation efforts,” said Ricky Collett, global brand director, Bulleit Frontier Whiskey. “While trees are a necessity for our award-winning bourbon, the benefits trees provide our communities are undeniable. Bulleit was built on the foundation of community and advancing tree equity is a way for us to give back to those who have given us so much."
The ongoing efforts by Bulleit to restore America’s forests are also part of Diageo’s larger, long-term plans for sustainability and fighting climate change, and we at Breakthru are proud to be a part of their efforts.
Connect with us today to find out how their work can help your business, too.