Allied Domecq Spirits and Wine Ltd (ADUK) has unveiled a major UK consumer campaign to support champagne brand Perrier-Jouët as part of the 100th anniversary celebrations for its famous art nouveau Belle Époque bottle.

Building on the well-established links between Perrier-Jouët champagne and the Arts, the campaign involves a number of high profile sponsorship and partner events with prestige retailer Liberty, top fashion designer Maria Grachvogel, leading garden designer Stephen Woodhams and the Elton John Aids Foundation. The programme will run throughout the pre-Christmas period.

“Perrier-Jouët champagne is about intimacy, passion and beauty – as reflected in the elegant anemone-clad bottle of the Belle Époque cuvée, which was designed by Emile Gallé in 1902,” says Mark Wallace, Senior Brand Manager for Champagnes at ADUK. “The consumer-focused UK campaign for Perrier-Jouët is part of a global programme of activity for the centenary designed to bring the brand experience to life for both consumers and trade in the major champagne markets around the world.”

Global celebrations were officially launched on 21st September at an exclusive Ball at Maison Belle Époque in Epernay for Allied Domecq’s top customers across Europe, the USA and Asia. The UK activity kicked off during London Fashion Week with an exclusive in-store event at Liberty in London for readers of Liberty magazine. Further promotions with Liberty will continue in November, including a month-long Perrier-Jouët Belle Époque window display at the store on Regent Street.

Continuing with the fashion theme, Champagne Perrier-Jouët will be involved in a number of high profile events in the UK and in France with haute couture fashion designer Maria Grachvogel as official sponsor of her Spring/ Summer 2003 Collection. “This is the first time that we have worked in conjunction with a fashion designer and we believe that Maria’s designs perfectly complement the elegance and sophistication of Perrier-Jouët champagne” comments Wallace. To launch the partnership, Champagne Perrier-Jouët was the title sponsor of the Maria Grachvogel Paris Fashion Week Show on 10th October.

November will mark the climax of UK activity for the Belle Époque centenary, with a range of events centred on London. An exclusive vertical tasting of Perrier-Jouët Belle Époque and dinner at The Ritz will highlight the centenary to the trade. Top landscape architect Stephen Woodhams will design a Belle Époque Champagne Garden in central London to reflect the timeless elegance and beauty of the brand for the enjoyment of visitors to the capitol. Finally, an exclusive celebrity-filled ‘society party’ at the former ‘In and Out’ Club in Piccadilly will launch Perrier-Jouët as the official champagne of The Elton John Aids Foundation for a year.

“We are really excited by this programme of activity,” comments Wallace. “The centenary marks the start of sustained focus for Perrier-Jouët champagne which will heighten brand awareness driving significant consumer pull-through in the UK.”

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For further information please contact:
Bryony Wright/ Mark Hunt
Jefferson Hunt Communication Consultants
Tel: 0117 909 1834/ 07974 741764 (M)
Email: bryony@jeffersonhunt.co.uk