HOLMES & LEE REVELS IN NEW PRODUCT LAUNCH
By Adnews Staff
Toronto-based Holmes & Lee is toasting the North American launch of Revelstoke Canadian Spiced Whisky. Marketed by Phillips Beverage Company of Minneapolis, MN, Revelstoke is a new distilled spirits product. Holmes and Lee was awarded the product launch business last year in a competition with Canadian and U.S. agencies. The agency's responsibilities included naming the product, packaging it, creating a print campaign and Web site, and developing all collateral sales and display materials, explained John Lee, president of Holmes & Lee. Revelstoke launched in a number of U.S. markets late last year and began rolling out in Canada the first few weeks of January. The spiced whisky is being marketed to a slightly younger and hipper target market then traditional whisky drinkers, said Peter Holmes, creative director at Holmes & Lee. A supporting print advertising campaign ran in the U.S. featuring the tagline "Strong, smooth whisky from a country that requires it." The ads appeared in national magazines such as Maxim and Stuff. That campaign will be adapted for the Canadian market and may expand to include small market newspaper ads as well. A Web site for Revelstoke is expected to launch by mid-March.