1800 Tequila Is Just the Ticket
When the Los Angeles Lakers won the 2009 NBA Championship in June, the streets outside the Staples Center erupted in violence. Instead of simply celebrating the victory, many fans rioted, a local gas station was looted, a police car was torched, and a bus was vandalized. But here’s the amazing thing about this story: The final game was played on the opposite end of the continent, in Miami, and was not even broadcast at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, as it had been in previous years. According to police, the fans-turned-rioters poured out of the bars surrounding the Staple Center when the game ended, and mayhem ensued.
Given this very recent history, it’s astonishing that the L.A. Lakers would, barely two months later, sign a deal to market 1800 Tequila courtside. Even more incredible is this statement by the team’s Chief Marketing Officer Tim Harris:
“Our goal is to ensure that Lakers games are the most enjoyable and exciting games to watch. 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.”Aren’t rioting, looting, torching police cars, and other acts of violence exciting enough? Do Lakers fans really need more alcohol to enjoy a game and its aftermath? And how is associating sports with alcohol ever responsible? Well, here’s what Elwyn Gladstone, a marketing executive for 1800 Tequila, has to say:
"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."Excitement is the clearly the name of the game.
But what exactly is “exciting” about countless kids watching their favorite players and seeing ads for 1800 Tequila splashed everywhere? And it will be everywhere: the Lakers’ multimillion dollar deal with 1800's parent company Proximo Spirits includes marketing for television, print, outdoor, and internet, as well as incorporating the Lakers logo with the 1800 Silver Tequila brand. Exciting for Big Alcohol, but that’s about all.
If the Lakers win another championship, will our kids watch as inside the locker room the champions celebrate by drinking tequila? Is that an improvement on past post-game celebrations where players celebrated with the spraying of champagne? And if history is a teacher, is it such a stretch to imagine kids will also watch as inebriated fans perpetrate acts of violence after a championship game? What is the message here for our children?
When the NBA lifted its longtime ban earlier this year on courtside advertising by spirits brands it opened a can of worms. Of course, it’s all about the revenue -- NBA players as role models be damned. The real message to kids is that sports teams ultimately don’t care about the consequences, as long as alcohol ads bring in the cash.
But if you are still inclined to believe the Lakers team really does cares about its kid fan-base, a visit to the Lakers Youth Foundation page should set things straight:
Note the Bud Light ad atop the page. ‘Nuf said.
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