Small Business Resources, Business Advice and Forms from AllBusiness.com
 

Jägermeister Series Builds Loyal Audience

By RAY WADDELL
Publication: Billboard
Date: Saturday, November 19 2005
As yet another Jägermeister Music tour rumbles out of the gate, this metal mainstay solidifies its rare status in the touring industry.

The Jägermeister series—the new outing features Disturbed, Corrosion of Conformity and Bloodsimple—has developed into a franchise

that is enhanced by its talent, not defined by it.

Brand officials "really understand the relationship between music and the drink," says Rick Zeiler, director of marketing and brand development for Sidney Frank Importing, the U.S. distributor of Jäger. "We really don't advertise 'Go drink Jägermeister.' Instead, we tell people to experience a Jägermeister event and see for themselves what it's all about."

The first leg of the 32-date tour began Nov. 4-5 at the First Avenue in Minneapolis, and will wrap Dec. 22 at Ram's Head Live in Baltimore. A second leg will hit some 20 cities early next year.

This is the tour's fifth year, and its seventh outing overall. The franchise began with Drowning Pool and Coal Chamber in 2000, and continued with tours by Saliva and (hed) PE, Slayer, Slipknot, Slayer again, then Alter Bridge.

Along the way, Jägermeister has become synonymous in many metalheads' minds with a hard rock tonic. Zeiler points out that his company's sponsorship efforts are not limited to hard rock but include more than 240 bands in all.

"It's cool, because the same people who listen to metal would never consider listening to some of the other bands that we sponsor," Zeiler says. "These bands range from local cover bands to big-name acts like Slayer and HIM."

Jäger's band sponsorship program places the Jäger brand behind developing acts and supplies them with customized promotional items like T-shirts, lighters and posters.

"Our budget has certainly grown over the years as our product and bottom line have increased," Zeiler says. "Each tour costs us in the neighborhood of $800,000-$1 million."

While the tours have all finished in the black, no money from ticket sales filters back to the brand or distributors. "We lose money on every tour we do," Zeiler says. "We're not interested in making money through ticket sales. We're in the beverage alcohol business, and we use music and these tours as one of the key marketing elements for the brand."

Promotional partners on the Jäger tours include Schecter Guitars, Peavey Electronics and Coffin Case guitar cases. "We really don't actively look for sponsors," Zeiler says. "If they come to us and it makes sense for the tour, we try and cut a deal."

As in the past, Clear Channel Entertainment is the promoter/producer for the tour, spearheaded by CCE VP Rich Levy. "He

In addition, make sure to read these articles:

  • Carling, Cce Form Sponsorship Pact
  • Clear Channel Entertainment (CCE) has made a spirited move into the U.K. through a groundbreaking £20 million ($29 million), three-year sponsorship deal with Carling, the ......
  • Clear Channel Exploring Sponsorship Deals In U.K.
  • Clear Channel Entertainment's (CCE) European music unit is looking to expand its sponsorship activities and has named James Campling as U.K. sponsorship director. Campling, former ......
  • Sponsorships: Ford in Monster Deal
  • Ford Motor is expanding its role in Clear Channel Entertainment's U.S. Hot Rod Association Monster Jam series with a title sponsorship and presence in all ......
  • Let's do some shots!
  • If you take 1 million cases of JÄgermeister, that equals…well, a whole lot of shots. JÄgermeister, a 30-year old brand imported from Germany by the ......
  • On The Road: Riffs On Wheels
  • JÄgermeister, the champion of hard rock and shot liqueur of champions, is about to go mobile—though not in the way you might think. JÄger will ......
  • Riffs on wheels
  • Jagermeister, the champion of hard rock and shot liqueur of champions, is about to go mobile _ though not in the way you might think....
  • Alter Bridge To Lead Jaegermeister Tour
  • Alter Bridge will headline the sixth Jaegermeister Music Tour, which begins March 29 at Irving Plaza in New York. Also on the bill are Epic ......
  • Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crew Program Seeks New Team
  • BOULDER, CO (BRAIN)--IMBA is seeking to hire a two-person team for the Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crew program. Rich and Jen Edwards, the East Coast Trail ......
  • Alter Bridge To Headline Jaeger Tour
  • Dates begin March 29 in New York.
  • Free Ride
  • In the wake of the warm and fuzzy news that the 2007 Ozzfest tour will be a free event, the touring industry has some questions.
  • New Products: Growth-Hungary Diageo Takes Zwack At...
  • After more than 200 years, Zwack, the national shot of Hungary, has finally found its way to the U.S. as Diageo's would-be Jägermeister killer.
  • Selling Bikes...
  • Colorado Drivers Guilty In Cyclists' Deaths ......
  • Securing your operations.
  • When you think about security, what's the first thing at comes to mind? For most of us in these fear-ridden times, it's visions of armed ......
  • Research and Markets: The Global Market for Vodka;...
  • DUBLIN, Ireland -- Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com) has announced the addition of The Global Market for Vodka to their offering. Vodka is the world's most ......
  • Alter Bridge to lead Jaegermeister Tour
  • Alter Bridge will headline the sixth Jaegermeister Music Tour, which begins March 29 at Irving Plaza in New York. Also on the bill are Epic ......