Shop Talk

Jay-Z (real name, Shawn Carter) is back voicing his opinion within the alcoholic beverage industry, but this time his opinion is one of support. According to a report from CNNMoney, beer king Anheuser-Busch, Inc. has hired the hip-hop and entertainment mogul to serve as Co-Branding Director of Budweiser Select. 

We can all recall the fallout from Carter’s public boycott of Cristal, a champagne preferred by hip-hop artists with mention and praise in numerous songs. Carter’s boycott came because of a comment made by Frederic Rouzhaud, managing director of Louis Roederer, the renowned French champagne house that produces Cristal. The Economist published Rouzhaud as saying he did not like the link between the high-end champagne and the hip-hop culture. Carter, angered by the article, vowed to boycott the champagne and removed bottles from his 40/40 clubs. Rouzhaud and the champagne house denied the racist claim and said the comment was taken out of context. 

It’s no secret that Carter has the power to influence. His boycott of Cristal, however, relatively fell on deaf ears because the average fan and hip hop follower cannot afford to drink Cristal, which can average $200 to $400+ a bottle. 

Perhaps things will turn out better this time around. 

Compared to Cristal, Budweiser Select knows no bounds in socio-economic terms at this point and can easily be marketed to a younger demographic (21-35, more than likely) with the entertainer at the helm of marketing and branding efforts. 

It’s also a prime opportunity for the entertainer to market his forthcoming studio release through a new series of commercial spots which have appeared during major sporting events such as the World Series. “Show Me What You Got” the song featured in the commercials not only showcased the beer and the image of youth, fun and sexiness, but also gave viewers a taste of what is to be the first single off of his Nov. 21 CD release. So, naturally, the deal is win-win for Carter in expanding his entrepreneurial influence and promoting his new CD. 

We’ll have to wait for the sales figures from AB, Inc. to determine the long-term impact of this move. I can only imagine, however, that this will be nothing short of “over the top” as is Carter’s style. 

One area that I think the company and Carter will have to make an effort to address is to remind young people about the dangers of alcohol consumption. Underage drinkers still account for a good percentage of sales. I don’t have the figures, but that’s not rocket science. That fact won’t change, but it would be nice for both parties to take an interest, give talks and make a few public service announcements to encourage safe choices. That will never be enough and it shouldn’t be the only effort, but it’s a start.