Diageo

How to win the marketing war in spirits - Comment

15 Feb 2019

Our brown spirits commentator, Neil Ridley, has had his passion for whisky reignited, thanks to a recent trip to the Scottish island of Islay. He's also concluded that a 'sense of place' is the most important weapon in a spirits' marketer's armoury.

Diageo's Crown Royal Peach - Product Launch

13 Feb 2019

Diageo has launched a new flavour in its Crown Royal Canadian whisky range.

Diageo secures Edinburgh location for Johnnie Walker tourist site

12 Feb 2019

Diageo has confirmed further details on the proposed visitor centre for Johnnie Walker in Scotland.

Pernod Ricard plan under fire as investor sharpens pencil again - Analysis

8 Feb 2019

There must have been at least a moment of happiness for Pernod Ricard in the wake of its half-year results this week. Sales were strong, up 8%, and though that was largely down to an early Chinese new year, it was yet a further sign of a healthy international spirits category in the wake of Diageo's encouraging numbers last week. A pause for a pat on the back would not have been amiss.

How did Pernod Ricard perform in H1 fiscal-2019? - results data

7 Feb 2019

Pernod Ricard has followed Diageo in reporting a high single-digit lift in sales for the first half of its current fiscal-year.

When is a rum not a rum? When it's Captain Morgan - just-drinks thinks

5 Feb 2019

Last week's half-year results have given Diageo a solid base for its fiscal full-year. But, amidst the 7.5% sales lift for the group in the six months to the end of December was a disappointing set of figures from Captain Morgan.

Game of Thrones "biggest cultural collaboration" in Johnnie Walker history - Diageo CEO

5 Feb 2019

The head of Diageo has hailed the success of the ongoing partnership between the group's Johnnie Walker blended Scotch whisky brand and HBO series Game of Thrones.

Diageo opens Guinness Six Nations sponsorship with new ad - video

1 Feb 2019

Diageo has kicked off its Guinness sponsorship of the Six Nations rugby competition with a new ad that coincides with the opening weekend of games.

"We've still got a job to do" - just-drinks speaks to Diageo CEO Ivan Menezes

1 Feb 2019

Earlier this week, Diageo released its results for the second half of 2018. The group posted a 7.5% increase in sales from the six months to the end of December. Late yesterday, just-drinks spoke to Diageo CEO Ivan Menezes as he travelled between media interviews in London.

How has Diageo performed in H1 fiscal-2019? - results data

31 Jan 2019

Diageo has reported a 7.5% rise in group sales for the six months to the end of December, but warned that beneficial phasings during the period would result in lower growth in the current six months.

Global spirits market set to break US$800bn by 2022 – research

30 Jan 2019

The value of the global spirits market is set to grow almost 20% between 2017 and 2022, exceeding US$800bn. 

Where are all the female CEOs? Ask again in 2029 - Comment

29 Jan 2019

Last year saw a raft of CEOs from global drinks firms announce their intentions to either move on or retire. As the stories unfolded, it became clear that those of us hoping for more female leaders in the industry would potentially have to wait another ten years.

What's coming up in white spirits in 2019? - Predictions for the Year Ahead - Comment

29 Jan 2019

Rounding off our category forecasts for 2019 is Richard Woodard, who will guide us through his thoughts on what will shape the white spirits categories over the coming month.

Responsible drinking issues around the world - The IARD Digest - January 2019

28 Jan 2019

Once a month, the drinks industry-funded International Alliance for Responsible Drinking, which covers alcohol policies worldwide, looks at what's going on in-market to promote a more responsible role for alcohol in society.

Choosing between beer & spirits in 2019, my drinks stock of the year and activist investors - The just-drinks Analyst

24 Jan 2019

Our resident analyst is back, in 2019! Ian Shackleton will share with us his investor perspective on the drinks industry throughout the year. This month's take sees Ian picking a favourite between beer and spirits, announcing his 'Stock to Watch' of 2019 and warning of the disruptive effects on a company from an activist investor.

Replacing plastic "not an environmental panacea", warns engineering group

17 Jan 2019

Replacing plastic packaging with more environmentally-friendly alternatives will not solve the global plastic crisis, an international engineering firm has warned.

Why consumers are demanding more experiential marketing activations - Consumer Trends

17 Jan 2019

Flicking through a magazine over the festive break, I happened across an article that was simultaneously fascinating and depressing. Instagram-worthy museums, where people go to take selfies in front of eye-popping exhibits, or whilst floating in ball pools, are apparently taking off in America. What this highlights is how consumers want to place themselves in the centre of the story whilst having fun.

Diageo's Captain Morgan lines up experiential 'indoor lagoon' at London retail space

17 Jan 2019

Diageo's Captain Morgan rum brand will feature as the theme of an experiential campaign in the UK, taking place underneath a London shopping mall.

What's coming up in brown spirits in 2019? - Predictions for the Year Ahead - Comment

15 Jan 2019

After the excesses of December, brown spirits commentator Neil Ridley takes a cursory glance into what 2019 is likely to bring, including a few shake-ups in the no-/low-alcohol segment of the category.

Diageo throws single malt portfolio behind Game of Thrones tie-up

15 Jan 2019

Diageo has significantly ramped up its Game of Thrones partnership with the launch of a complete range of Scotch whiskies tied to the HBO TV show.

Diageo to sell Indian winery Four Seasons Wines to Grover Zampa Vineyards

15 Jan 2019

Diageo is continuing to offload its wine assets, securing an agreement to sell Indian winery Four Seasons Wines.

Where will the future take Tequila & mezcal? - Research in Focus

11 Jan 2019

The long-term success story for Tequila looks set to continue in the years ahead, but there are challenges looming. Clouds on the horizon include the ongoing agave shortage and the category's ever-increasing reliance on the US market.

UFC entry to spirits ring has lessons for industry and its celebrity infatuation - Comment

8 Jan 2019

September was a big month for spirits and the combat sport known as mixed-martial arts, or MMA. The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), the biggest promoter in MMA, signed its first vodka partnership, with Nemiroff. A few days later Heaven Hill Brands came onboard with UFC through a partnership for its Blackheart Premium Spiced Rum.

Danone lines up Baileys Coffee Creamers under licence from Diageo

4 Jan 2019

Diageo has signed a licensing deal with Danone North America to re-introduce a range of coffee creamers under the Baileys brand.

"It was a lot harder without the power of Diageo behind me" - Ami-Lynn Bakshi, co-founder of Cafe Agave & former Diageo executive

4 Jan 2019

Last year, Ami-Lynn Bakshi launched one of the first alcoholic cold-brew coffee RTDs in the US, the 12.5%-abv Cafe Agave Spiked Cold Brew. Before helping to pioneer the hard coffee category, she spent 20 years working for Diageo in a number of roles around the world, including North American innovations head and American whiskey marketing director. Here, Bakshi tells just-drinks what she learned from her time with the spirits multinational and how those lessons are informing her new career as a beverage entrepreneur.

Former Diageo innovations exec says route-to-market critical as Cafe Agave Spiked Cold Brew expands launch

4 Jan 2019

A former Diageo innovations executive who last year launched a range of alcoholic cold-brew coffee RTDs has said too many beverage startups struggle because of poor route-to-market planning.

Responsible drinking issues around the world - The IARD Digest - December 2018

21 Dec 2018

Once a month, the drinks industry-funded International Alliance for Responsible Drinking, which covers alcohol policies worldwide, looks at what's going on in-market to promote a more responsible role for alcohol in society.

Diageo to offload United National Breweries to Zimbabwe's Delta Corp

21 Dec 2018

Diageo is to sell United National Breweries, the South African sorghum beer business it bought from India's United Breweries three-and-a-half years ago.

The spirits category in 2019 - just-drinks predicts

20 Dec 2018

In just-drinks' spirits review of 2018, we looked back at the year just passed. But, what is in store for 2019? We take a look into our crystal ball to predict the biggest news and trends for the year ahead.

The spirits category in 2018 - just-drinks' Review of the Year, Part III - FREE TO ACCESS

19 Dec 2018

As the year draws to a close, just-drinks takes a look back at the stories that have made the headlines across the global drinks industry over the last 12 months. Here, deputy editor Lucy Britner picks out the highs and lows for the spirits category.