Bottom's Up: NBA's Lakers Sign Marketing Deal With 1800 Tequila
Thursday, August 13, 2009 at 03:12PM 
August 13, 2009: If the Los Angeles Lakers successfully defend their NBA title, the drink of choice in the locker room during the celebration might not be champagne, but 1800 Tequila. The Lakers said they have signed a multimillion dollar deal with Proximo Spirits that includes TV, print, outdoor and Internet incorporating the team logo to support super-premium 1800 Silver Tequila.
All marketing, which also includes sponsorships and national sampling, will feature a social-responsibility drinking message. The NBA earlier this year amended its ban of hard liquor ads courtside, on team Web sites and other locations, which had been in effect since 1991, as long as the ads drive home the message of drinking responsibly. The ban did not affect beer, and Anheuser-Busch has been an official partner of the league for many years.
Among other alliances, Proximo, headquartered in Manhasset, N.Y., has a marketing deal with the NHL's Columbus Blue Jackets. The NBA's Miami Heat will have courtside signage beginning in 2009-10 for Grey Goose, Dewar's and Bacardi, all brands of Bacardi, which signed a seven-year renewal deal with the Heat in 2008. More than 20 NBA teams have deals with liquor companies, according to analysts, so other teams are also expected to follow suit and begin to incorporate courtside liquor ads as part of their marketing strategies.
Several consumer groups, including the American Society of Addiction Medicine and Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America, have sought to have the NBA reinstate the ban.
"Our goal is to ensure that Lakers games are the most enjoyable and exciting games to watch," Tim Harris, CMO for the Los Angeles Lakers, said in a statement. "Through this groundbreaking partnership, 1800 will provide Lakers fans with the familiar flavor of the super-premium spirit and a variety of beverage choices to enjoy while celebrating courtside, while ensuring that we communicate responsible drinking."
Added Elwyn Gladstone, vp-marketing for Proximo, "Just as the L.A. Lakers represent the pinnacle of their sport in terms of dynamism and brand recognition, 1800 Silver Tequila represents the most exciting name in Tequila."