Canadian Club® seeks bands to bring new flavour to iconic songs
TORONTO, June 29, 2012 /CNW/ - Sometimes a cover song is more than a cover, it's a re-imagination and reinvention of a song that gets people thinking differently about the original and tunes in an entirely new audience. Inspired by the creativity and potential of undiscovered artists, Canadian Club is launching the national* C.C. Mixed & Ready Cover Challenge. On June 28th, Canada's most famous whisky brand kicks-off a summer full of music themed promotions and events that celebrate the arrival of C.C. Mixed & Ready ready-to-drink Canadian whisky beverages.
C.C. Mixed & Ready refreshes the classic whisky experience with a new twist. The brand is calling on undiscovered Canadian bands to tap into this same spirit of reinvention with the C.C. Mixed & Ready Cover Challenge.
The C.C. Mixed & Ready Cover Challenge is looking for undiscovered Canadian bands to submit their own unique version of one of five Canadian songs previously made popular by inspiring Canadian acts:
"Some of the most exciting artists over the years have been discovered through their cover of an original song that was unexpected, genre-defying or got people rethinking the original music," says Cheryl Hudson, Brand Manager for Canadian Club. "As an iconic Canadian brand, Canadian Club really relates to the notion of reinvention and refreshment. We believe that music is a perfect metaphor for C.C. Mixed & Ready, a product that refreshes the Canadian whisky experience and broadens the category to a new audience. Music is a classic element that brings people together, and that's how we like to think of Canadian Club being shared."
C.C. Mixed & Ready Cover Challenge - How it Works:
Beginning June 28th, 2012, bands are invited to submit their covers on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/CanadianClubCanada) prior to August 27, 2012 for the chance to win an indy band's dream grand prize - three demo songs recorded, mixed and mastered in Toronto, plus $3,000 for band gear and / or transit to Toronto for the recording session. Winners will be selected based on a combination of Facebook voting (25%) and C.C. Mixed & Ready's judging panel (75%), consisting of music industry experts and brand representatives. The winning submission will be announced by September 15, 2012.
The Canadian Club brand's Facebook page will also be a hub and hive of music related information aggregated from social networks and newsfeeds and generated by Canadian Club insiders at C.C. Mixed & Ready music events throughout the summer. Fans can join and follow the conversation using #mixedandready.
C.C. Mixed & Ready Music Events:
Canadian Club is making summer 2012 all about music. In addition to the C.C. Mixed & Ready Cover Challenge, C.C. Mixed & Ready street teams will be sampling at high profile music festivals and concerts in Ontario and Alberta, including:
Ontario:
Alberta:
C.C. Mixed & Ready will wrap the summer at a special concert event in Toronto, headlined by one of Canada's most exciting emerging talents, garnering international attention, to be revealed in late July.
About CC Mixed & Ready:
Canadian Club's new C.C. Mixed & Ready is designed to expand Canadian whisky into the ready-to-drink market and capture interest from consumers who are new to the world of whisky. The brand focused on the most popular mixes - Ginger Ale and Cola - to create a convenient, refreshing ready-to-drink option that also offers an alternative to beer.
Ready-to-drink beverages are becoming increasingly popular, having risen in volume by almost 4 per cent globally in 2011 over 2010.1 These products are all about convenience, particularly important during a time of economic slowdown when on-premise consumption has declined in markets like North America.3
"Ready-to-drink beverages like CC Mixed & Ready address both the growth of cocktail culture and popularity of take-home consumption," says Hudson. "They are easy to serve and help broaden the category to more occasions, ones that were typically dominated by beer."
C.C. Mixed & Ready was test-marketed in Alberta in 2011 , selling over 13,000 nine litre cases and satisfying consumer demand for convenience and refreshment. Now available in Ontario and Alberta, C.C. Mixed & Ready is available in 473 mL cans for approximately $2.95 and 355 mL 6-packs for approximately $12.95.
About Beam Canada Inc.
As one of the world's leading premium spirits companies, Beam is Crafting the Spirits that Stir the World. Consumers from all corners of the globe call for the company's brands, including Jim Beam Bourbon, Canadian Club Whisky, Sauza Tequila, Pinnacle Vodka, Courvoisier Cognac, Maker's Mark Bourbon, Knob Creek Bourbon, Laphroaig Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Teachers Scotch Whisky, Kilbeggan Irish Whiskey, Cruzan Rum, Banff Ice vodka, Alberta Premium Canadian Whisky and Skinnygirl Cocktails. Distribution partnerships in Canada include: The Macallan and Highland Park Single Malt Scotches, The Famous Grouse, Brugal Rum, Russian Standard Vodka and Bols Liqueurs.
Beam Inc. is focused on delivering superior performance with its unique combination of scale with agility and a strategy of Creating Famous Brands, Building Winning Markets and Fueling Our Growth. Beam and its 3,200 passionate associates worldwide generated 2011 sales of $2.8 billion, volume of 34 million 9-liter cases and some of the industry's fastest growing innovations.
Headquartered in Deerfield, Illinois, Beam is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol BEAM and is included in the S&P 500 Index and the MSCI World Index. For more information on Beam, its brands, and its commitment to social responsibility, please visit www.beamglobal.com and www.drinksmart.com.
Hashtag: #mixedandready
Facebook: C.C. Mixed & Ready Cover Challenge. (www.facebook.com/CanadianClubCanada)
*C.C. Mixed & Ready Cover Challenge contest is open to residents of Canada (not including Quebec) who are of legal drinking age.
1 Euromonitor International, Alcoholic Drinks 2011 Part 2, February 2012, Pg 38
Image with caption: "Canadian Club Mixed & Ready Cola 355 mL (CNW Group/Beam Inc.) (CNW Group/Canadian Club) (CNW Group/Canadian Club Whisky)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20120629_C4962_PHOTO_EN_15823.jpg
Image with caption: "Canadian Club Mixed & Ready Ginger Ale 355 mL (CNW Group/Beam Inc.) (CNW Group/Canadian Club) (CNW Group/Canadian Club Whisky)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20120629_C4962_PHOTO_EN_15824.jpg
Image with caption: "Canadian Club Mixed & Ready Logo (CNW Group/Canadian Club Mixed & Ready) (CNW Group/Canadian Club) (CNW Group/Canadian Club Whisky)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20120629_C4962_PHOTO_EN_15827.jpg
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