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Diageo

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There was a time, not so long ago, when occasion-based drinks marketing meant advertising your lager brand in an ad during a World Cup football match. Not anymore - things have become a lot more complicated since then.

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In 2014, Diageo, the world’s biggest multi-category spirits producer, sent out a call to the world's growing pool of start-up tech companies. The Johnnie Waker and Smirnoff owner was offering a US$100,000 prize for disruptive innovations that could, as Diageo said at the time, solve no less than "our biggest business challenges".

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In late-January, LVMH, the parent company of Moet Hennessy, released its - and its business units' results for 2017. The wine and spirits division saw its sales in the 12 months increase by 7% on the year prior. Here, just-drinks considers Moet Hennessy's performance over the last five years.

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Following on from just-drinks' analysis of Moët Hennessy's performance over the last five years, spirits commentator Richard Woodard considers the takeaways for the wider spirits and wine industries.

In the same week as International Women's Day, the National Association for Female Executives named Diageo's North American unit as one of 2018's 'Top 60 Companies for Executive Women'. The news follows a raft of pledges from Diageo, through both its business and its brands, to champion equality. To mark International Women's Day, just-drinks talks to Cristina Diezhandino, Scotch category director & MD for Diageo's Reserve portfolio, about working in the whisk(e)y sectors, the future of Scotch and how bartenders are helping to propel Reserve brands.

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On the day that Diageo released results for the first half of its fiscal-2018, just-drinks spoke to group CEO Ivan Menezes about the geopolitical issues on the horizon, Bacardi's takeover of Patron Tequila and what on earth Jane Walker will be.

Diageo has lined up a sizeable investment in the Scotch whisky tourism sector, but has admitted it is yet to find a location for a new visitor centre for Johnnie Walker.

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Bryan Thomson, the head of William Grant & Sons' Asia Pacific operations has lined up his retirement, with former Diageo executive Doug Bagley lined up to replace him.

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Diageo is set to launch the Casamigos agave spirits range into Europe, as part of its Reserve portfolio.

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Diageo has released a Seville orange gin under its Tanqueray brand. Tanqueray Flor de Sevilla, which is orange in colour, is described as having "tangerine notes and hints of juniper and coriander". 

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Drinks companies operating in the UK that are already braced for next month's sugar tax are facing further disruption after the Government announced plans to introduce a bottle-deposit return system in England.

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Diageo is to overhaul Johnnie Walker Black Label in Australia as it rolls out a AUD15m (US$11.6m) campaign for the blended Scotch brand.

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Diageo is to revamp its Johnnie Walker presence in the Global Travel Retail channel with a new store design.

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Diageo has unearthed the Malacca version of its Tanqueray gin brand, relaunching the variant on a permanent basis in two markets and the Global Travel Retail channel.

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Diageo has lined up a new responsible drinking campaign, featuring its Captain Morgan rum brand and grime star Lady Leshurr.

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Diageo has bought Berlin vermouth-maker Belsazar in the spirits giant's first acquisition from its Distill Ventures incubator programme.

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Diageo has added another flavoured shot variant to its Captain Morgan portfolio in the US, as it looks to capitalise on outdoor summer occasions.

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Diageo has added a new partnership to Smirnoff's ongoing 'Equalizing Music' campaign, this time with online music platform Spotify. 

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Diageo's Global Travel Retail unit has opened a luxury retail space at Dallas Fort Worth International airport, as it looks to mentor shoppers on its portfolio.

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Diageo has released details of a limited edition run of Johnnie Walker Black Label in the US under the name The Jane Walker.

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Diageo has signed up to an equal opportunities initiative targeted at the advertising industry.

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Diageo has unveiled a new campaign for its Johnnie Walker blended Scotch brand in the Indonesian market. 

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Diageo has added a limited-edition strawberries and cream flavour to its Baileys portfolio in the US market. 

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Diageo has redesigned the Rangpur extension of its Tanqueray gin brand as it looks to expand distribution of the iteration into new markets.

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Diageo's North America division has appointed Nuno Teles to the role of president, Diageo Beer Co USA. 

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Diageo has launched its first pre-mixed gin & tonic featuring the Tanqueray brand.

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Diageo's Global Travel Retail unit has launched the first in a Forgotten Drop Series from the Glendullan distillery. 

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Diageo has retained its mid-single-digit rate of sales increases in the first half of its fiscal-2018, with currency fluctuations hindering the group's rate of growth on a reported basis.

Paul Walsh just can't stay away from the drinks industry.

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just-drinks is in Cannes this week the Tax Free World Association show. Here's the second part of Andy Morton's blog, which will keep you up-to-date at one of the most important dates in the Travel Retail calendar.