Patrón challenges additive censorship in new ads
After clashing with Tequila’s regulatory body over its additive-free marketing, Patrón has unveiled a new campaign featuring redacted adverts to challenge transparency in the industry.
The Bacardi-owned Tequila brand has launched its new Censored Truth campaign in the US, which aims to address the “lack of transparency” in the industry.
It also seeks to highlight the “external pressures that prevent Tequila brands from disclosing that they do not use additives”.
Last year, the Consejo Regulador del Tequila (CRT) issued a statement that said the “certification of the term ‘additive free’ would cause confusion among consumers” and urged brands to stop using the phrase as it violates the category’s regulations.
As a result of these “external pressures”, Patrón said it was “forced to use redacted visuals and bleeped-out language to hint at the truth or omit information completely, rather than state it outright”.
Patrón believes that brands should be able to “communicate freely that they choose not to add other ingredients to their Tequila”, while reiterating that it is not challenging the fact that some producers use additives.
The Censored Truth adverts comes just months after Patrón’s additive-free campaign in the US, which debuted in February and provoked a temporary ban on its exports.
The previous campaign claimed Patrón is a “100% additive-free Tequila” made with only three ingredients – 100% Blue Weber agave, water and yeast.
However, the CRT stopped Patrón’s exports for four days in February after the brand refused to remove its ‘100% additive-free’ claim from US advertising.
As a result, Bacardi began “constructive conversations” with the CRT to address the topic of additives transparently.
The global chief marketing officer for Bacardi, Ned Duggan, told The Spirits Business in April that the CRT has no jurisdiction over marketing, advertising or communications in the States, citing a trade agreement between the US and Mexico signed in 2006.
Bacardi also removed ‘additive-free’ references from Patrón’s website as a “show of good will”, Duggan confirmed.
The CRT believes the term is misleading and cannot be scientifically proven.
Tequila producers are allowed to use up to 1% of additives (also known as abocantes) in production, but this does not have to be disclosed on the label. Four types of additives are permitted: glycerin, caramel colouring, oak extract, and jarabe or sugar-based syrup.
The CRT is currently embroiled in a lawsuit with the Additive Free Alliance over the latter’s ‘unauthorised’ certification programme.
‘Barriers to transparency’
The new Censored Truth campaign seeks to show the “very real barriers to transparency faced by producers committed to using only three-natural ingredients in their Tequila”.
This latest campaign makes no mention of additives but one advert features the words ‘no sweeteners, no extracts, no secrets’.
The campaign features a mix of censored adverts, bleeped audio and redacted language to motivate drinkers to “question what they’re being told – or not told – about the spirits they choose”.
Roberto Ramirez-Laverde, Patrón’s global senior vice-president, said: “Our Tequila is made with just three ingredients, and we think people deserve to know exactly what goes into their drink.
“’Censored Truth’ is our way of doubling down on that promise – even if you need to read between the lines or we have to bleep out a few words because of efforts to restrict what we can share.”
The Censored Truth campaign will feature redacted visuals across out-of-home adverts in select US markets including New York City, New Orleans, Atlanta, New Jersey and Cleveland.
There will also be censored train wraps at major transport hubs such as Chicago.
“Our goal with this campaign was to take the challenging situation of being asked not to share our truth and turn it into a creative narrative that resonates with consumers,” said Laila Mignoni, vice-president of global communications at Patrón.
“By deliberately obscuring certain elements and inviting consumers to read between the lines, we’re creating an experience for them to ultimately discover the story behind Patrón Tequila’s ingredients and process for themselves, so they can make more informed choices when it comes to what’s in their glass.”
The campaign will also head to on-trade festival Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans later this month, with a takeover at the Virgin Hotel.
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