The experience will put a spin on a traditional poetry form and include guest experiences and custom cocktails.
Courtesy of Patrón
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Dive Brief:
- Patrón, a Bacardi brand, is celebrating Día de Muertos with a multilingual, one-night stand-up comedy show that puts a unique spin on a longstanding Mexican tradition,according to a press release.
- La Última Risa, or The Last Laugh, will be headlined by Sofía Niño de Rivera and take place Nov. 2, the last day of Día de Muertos. The tequila will have a prominent presence at the New York event, including via a preshow cocktail reception and experiential elements within the venue The Stand.
- Patrón is supporting the program through paid social media, both leading up to and after the show, and out-of-home signage throughout New York. Highlights of the event will be posted on the brand’s social channels to expand the experience beyond one night.
Dive Insight:
As advertisers continue to embraceexperiential marketing, Patrón is inviting a select number of guests aged 21 and over to a comedy show which takes inspiration from the traditional Mexican literary form known ascalaveritas literarias, satirical verses usually written for Día de Muertos that are centered around death. The event is meant to draw on Patrón’s Mexican roots and engage with the holiday in an authentic way while providing content that can be used to engage with consumers on social media
Niño de Rivera, the first Mexican woman to release a Spanish-language comedy special on Netflix, will be joined by Jesus Trejo, Chingo Bling, Cris Sosa and Jilberto Soto. The 75-minute show will be hosted by Xazmin Garza, an Arizona-based stand-up comic. In addition to preshow cocktails, the brand will appear in guest touchpoints throughout the venue. Those not in attendance can look up the cocktails on a dedicatedlanding page.
Tequila brands have often looked to put cultural touchpoints at the forefront of Día de Muertos marketing. Last year,Tequila Don Juliopartnered with Mexican bakery Panadería Rosetta to host pop-ups in 12 cities that offered pan de muerto, a type of bread baked during the lead-up to the festivities. At night, the locations became tequila bars. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Jose Cuervo sent outofrenda kitsso people could set up temporary altars at home.
However, marketing around Día de Muertos, which takes place Nov. 1-2, has also proven fraught for some brands. An important cultural celebration tracing itsroots back to Mexico’s pre-European colonization, the holiday is often lumped by U.S. retailers and marketers into the same category asmodern-day Halloween. In 2020, Mattel found itself in hot water after being accused of cultural appropriation forits $75.99 Día de Muertos Barbie. Disney attempted to trademark the festival in 2013 ahead of the Pixar film “Coco.” The companydropped the effortfollowing swift backlash.
Patrón may be attempting to engage with the holiday in an authentic way, rather than lumping it in with the Halloween season.
“Día de Muertos is a time to celebrate the lives and legacies of those who came before us, while honoring the memories and connections that continue to live on,” said Roberto Ramirez-Laverde, global senior vice president, Patrón Tequila in press materials. “With La Última Risa, Patrón is bringing that spirit of remembrance to life on stage through an evening of comedy, craft and culture.”
Tequila has managed to avoid the same issues many other spirits are currently facing in the U.S. The spirithas seen sales rise since 2004, largely due to its popularity among the 24 to 34 age demographic, which has beendrinking lessoverall. However, the market is showing signs of slowing growth,signaling it may be stabilizing.
Bacardi is a privately held company and does not release quarterly financial reports. Itcompleted its purchase of Patrón in 2018, the deal valuing the brand at $5.1 billion. Prior to the acquisition, Bacardi held a minority stake in the brand since 2008.
