Source: www.streetpress.com

Last September, Eau de Paris, a state-owned company specialized in providing drinking water to the Parisian inhabitants, unveiled a great brand-new product: a free sparkling water fountain!

Placed in a public garden in Paris (Jardin de Reuilly, 75012 Paris, accessible during the park opening hours), anyone can access it anddrink/taste 3 different tap water: a "still" air-temperatured tap water , a 10°-cool-down "still" tap wateror the brand-new 10°-cool-down sparkling tap water! Idea behind is to convince French people to go to tap water rather than bottled water, by convincing the consumers tap water could also offer different tastes. The task is huge since French inhabitants are the greatest clients of bottled water in the world. Which is a pity when you know how safe drinking tap water can be there. So, to achieve that goal, Eau de Paris has adapted to the modern human being's primary need: the sparkling water!

Beyond the product in itself and its positive impact on the environment (3500l per day saving 2300 1.5l plastic bottles), the initiative is consistent with recent initiatives launched by the Eau de Paris company, like the Pavillon de l'Eau, a knowledge center about water. Eau de Paris might not be a "brand" in the consumer mind, probably linked to its status as a state-owned company, still through such experiencing initiatives are the good path to becoming a brand. Oh, by the way, Eau de Paris owes its sparkling fountain to Italian company DKR Drinkatering!

Sources: www.lepoint.fr + www.streetpress.com

"27321", the name of the most expensive cocktail in the world. 27321 for its price, UAE dirham 27321 (around USD 7500) and for the floor (27th) of the SkyBar of the Burj Al Arab hotel (321m high).

Why is that cocktail so expensive? The SkyBar answers the cost of it is the cost of production. Humm, yeah. Ok, the cocktail is made from 60ml Macallan 55 year old single malt natural color whisky, two bar spoons of exclusively produced dried fruit bitters that carry and support the whisky's flavor, and one large sugar cube homemade passion fruit sugar. The resulting cocktail is then served over ice cubes made of water from the Macallan distillery in Scotland, along with an oak stirrer made from a Macallan Cask. The cocktail is presented in a Baccarat 18-carat hand-made gold glass, on which the logo of the Burj Al Arab is stamped, glass that the buyer takes home with a certificate of purchase.

Besides, only 10 times will that cocktail be made. Or has already been made since the first two cocktails were sold on April 16th, 2008. Above the cost of production, this not-one-of-its-kind initiative is a good buzz: cocktail competition is harsh among the world bars and many of them are used to create expensive cocktails by adding a jewel to their cocktails! Latest in date is worth 48000 euros...

So should we cry for those 2 American guys that bought the first 2 27321 cocktails?

Source: www.thewhiskyexchange.com + www.luxist.com

A majority of brands are now aware of the interest of using the social networks in their marketing & communication strategy.

But few are using them to really send their products. But Starbucks does. For launching its brand new ice creams in the USA, Starbuck has decided to use Facebook. From July 6th to 19th, US Facebook users can download the application "Share a Pint of New Starbucks @ Ice Cream" under Facebook that enables them to try to win a cuopon for a pint of newly Starbucks icecream of their choice. Each day 20000 coupons will be earned.

This marketing campaign is a good tool for Starbucks to reach two goals: first, make the user try their new products and be the ones to promote them and second, enrich their consumer databasis since downloading the Facebook application means "connecting Allowing Share a Pint of New Starbucks® Ice Cream access will let it pull your profile information, photos, your friends' info, and other content that it requires to work"! A good strategy, isn't it?  

Source: www.blogoergosum.com

 

To launch its Vitamin Waters range in France, in a highly competitive environment, Coca-Cola has invited privileged guests to discover dedicated coktails made with Vitamin Waters in its ephemeral Pop Up Bar, in Paris. 

Did you taste them?