Diageo is the world's largest drinks company. The company's big brands are Smirnoff Vodka, Johnny Walker Scotch, Guinness Stout, Captain Morgan Rum, Jose Cuervo Tequila, and many others.
One of Diageo's little bitty brands is Jeremiah Weed. As you might guess from the name, the brand was created in the late 1960s. It is a liqueur that has, let's say, an acquired taste, sort of like Jagermeister. Like Jagermeister and a local Chicago brand, Malort, the primary purpose of Jeremiah Weed seems to be to get a buddy to drink it on a dare and then watch him gag.
I wrote about Jeremiah Weed earlier this year here.
They pretend Jeremiah Weed is a real person and it's all good clean fun, nothing anyone is likely to believe. Then came this, from one of the brand's web sites.
"Welcome to the Jeremiah Weed website: we are all here for one reason, and that is because we love Jeremiah Weed. Born from a long Southern distilling tradition in Weed, Kentucky, our Original Sweet Tea and Blended Bourbon are traditional staples in everybody's kitchen and backyard. Here you can learn about how high-quality ingredients, and love for authentic, home-brewed sweet taste, go into our products, and of course, how Jeremiah Weed the man earned his name on the bottle."
As luck would have it there really is a Weed, Kentucky, a wide spot in the road between Glasgow and Somerset. There is no "long Southern distilling tradition" there. There is nothing there, let alone a distillery. The two products the web site is selling -- Sweet Tea and Blended Bourbon -- were launched about a year ago. They're not 'traditional staples' anywhere and there is not one thing authentic or home-brewed about them.
So again I raise the question. Why would I as a consumer want to do business with a company that lies to me so copiously?
Wisdom, Kentucky, is also between Glasgow and Somerset. I guess they skipped that town.
ReplyDeleteA couple of posts ago, you wrote that "Ralfy Mitchell is Worth Watching." After reading yet another excellent bit of incisive criticism of yours, I would just like to say that Chuck Cowdery Is (Definitely) Worth Reading. Excellent stuff, Chuck. Please keep it coming.
ReplyDeleteI've heard this product being advertised on the Adam Corolla podcast where the selling points seem to be that it is the drink of fighter pilots and at 90 proof it is 10 better than 80 proof swill.
ReplyDeleteThanks Chuck for trying to cut thru the hype.
Thank you Chuck for your wonderful coverage of the spirit industry and for having the integrity to stand up to a disingenuous brand.
ReplyDeleteJeremiah Weed is treating consumers like children by falsifying their story. Today's competitive atmosphere rewards authenticity and an honesty.
Rumor has it the Jeremiah Weed actor is really Diageo Lobbyist, Guy Smith...
The fighter pilot story is itself misleading since it refers to the original, Jager-like bitter liqueur and not to the Sweet Tea or Blended Bourbon they're promoting now.
ReplyDeleteChuck,
ReplyDeleteThe worst part of the story is that the voice pretending to be Jeremiah Weed is Guy Smith, head of corporate and public relations at Diageo....Guy Smith. Good on you for calling BS on this.
John
Chuck, while the faux JW history is sad, you need to address the real issues here.
ReplyDeleteLest it be forgotten that MLB is playing the World Series at the end of October!!! Something is very wrong with the world when it's all about the money and the market share.