Cherryflava

Bar Wars

Posted on 16. Oct, 2006 by Jonathan Cherry in Branding

Experts will tell you, that different brands of vodka do have distinctive flavas.
Premium vodka is said to be purer, smoother and more refined that the cheaper stuff.

We wouldn’t be able to tell the difference though.
A triple shot of any white spirit with ice, Red Bull, our vintage Beretta side-by-side 12-gauge and the neighbour’s flock of prize winning racing pigeons, almost always guarantees an entertaining afternoon.

But, after a long fight, it seems like two of South Africa’s biggest vodka brands, Russian Bear and Smirnoff Red Label, have finally kissed and made up.

Advertising agency
JWT lodged a complaint against the Edward Snell & Company with the
Advertising Standards Authority of South Africa on behalf of Brandhouse,
the proprietors of Smirnoff Red Label Vodka – stating that recently released new look Russian
Bear Vodka packaging exploited the advertising goodwill of the Smirnoff
Red Label campaign.

The complaint against Russian Bear also objected
to various elements of the campaign including the packaging and bottle
shape.

The ASA [and the AIT on appeal], ruled that consumers
[of sober state of mind] in South Africa would make the necessary association between the bottle
shape and the product….and tossed the complaint.

We haven’t seen the advertising material in question here, but going on bottle design alone – in our opinion the two brands definitely look very distinctive. One is black – and the other, a very unique hue of red.
Clearly they’re both vodkas, but the brands are nothing similar. Its like saying one beer bottle looks like another – which they do.

Can’t we all just get along here? [Thanks Richard]

[via ASASA]