David W. Stewart, professor of marketing at the University of Southern California and co-author of the book “Marketing Champions” explains there are three strategies for a beverage firm when it comes to ethnic marketing.

A company can focus on ethnic consumers of a drink that has traditionally strong appeal to a particular ethnic segment, for example lassi among Indians.

A company can attempt to take an ethnic beverage into a broader market, such as green tea.

Or it can take a beverage with broad market appeal and develop specific marketing and promotions for ethnic groups, for example, Coca-Cola’s various promotions targeted to Hispanics.

Major breweries Miller and Coors have launched Hispanic marketing campaigns to attract ethnic consumers to their brands. The companies also have donated money to support Hispanic political causes. In September, Coors Light presented the New York-based Hispanic Federation with a $25,000 donation to support its voter education and information programs. The Federation and the Golden, Colo.-based company will spread the word about voting and citizenship at concert stops of the band, Intocable, which the beer brand is sponsoring.

Miller attracted attention for newspaper reports that it sponsored an immigration rights march in Chicago. Advertisements for the controversial Labor Day “Immigrant Workers Justice Walk” featured the Miller logo and Spanish-language tagline of its “Live Responsibily” slogan. It was reported that the Milwaukee, Wis.-based company agreed to sponsor the march following a possible boycott by pro-immigrant groups over the brewer’s contributions to a Wisconsin U.S. Representative who backed legislation to crack down on illegal immigrants. Ironically, Miller’s sponsorship of the Labor Day march created a new threat by more than 100 groups to boycott the brands.

InBev’s Bass brand recently launched customized credit card sized guides that detail the locations and amenities of more than 40 nightlife establishments in New York City. Bass launched bMaps Pocket Guides with the help of HGHS Enterprises. These maps keep Bass on top of the minds of consumers every time they peek in their wallet or pocket.

The West Hollywood Chamber of Commerce recognized Southern Comfort’s “New Orleans” billboard as best beverage billboard of 2005. Judged by a panel of creative and artistic industry executives, Arnold Worldwide and Clear Channel Outdoor were honored for the billboard. Also nominated in the beverage category were ads for Vitaminwater, Budweiser, Jack Daniels and Coca-Cola’s Full Throttle.

Jim Beam bourbon and New York wholesaler Southern Wine & Spirits will support the Terry Farrell Firefighters Scholarship Fund with money from sales of the bourbon. The fund, which provides aid to the children of New York firefighters, will be featured on specially labeled 1-liter bottles from which $1 from every case sold will be donated. The labels will replace the Jim Beam logo with a fire hat with the number 343, representing the number of firefighters from Farrell’s squad that were victims of September 11, 2001 attacks.

The hyper-caffeinated coffee brand, Shock Coffee, hosted this year’s Better Your Body Health & Fitness Expo in New York. The brand provided a 2,000 square foot ‘Bootcamp’ and premiered its new Shock Hummer 2 at the event.

Hennessy cognac will host a concert in New York City to celebrate the “Global Art of Mixing.” Hip hop artist Kanye West, rock band The Strokes, the UK’s Goldfrapp and DJ Carl Cox will come together on stage for the Hennessy Artistry concert. The event will combine sounds, visuals and cocktails from around the world in a testament to mixing.  

Stella Artois is going to the movies with its sponsorship of the 2007 Sundance Film Festival. As part of the sponsorship, the InBev brand will host a contest with prizes including Sundance’s 25th Anniversary Film Festival DVD Collection and a trip for two to the festival complete with movie tickets and premiere party invites. It will also cross-promote with Indie Film Night retail displays and bar events.

Movie watchers know James Bond likes his martinis shaken, not stirred – and made with Smirnoff Vodka. Bond’s return to the big screen in “Casino Royale” will feature the international spy once again sipping on Smirnoff vodka. Smirnoff and Bond’s partnership, which dates back to 1962’s “Dr. No,” will feature an international multi-million dollar campaign including broadcast ads, promotions and a fully interactive “Casino Royale” Web site.

Former race car driver Michael Andretti has teamed up with Detroit community leaders and Canadian Club Whisky for a public awareness campaign about underage drinking. The program, developed in part by The Century Council, will provide tips to discourage and prevent underage drinking. Beam Global Spirits & Wine donated $100,000 on behalf of Canadian Club to The Michael Andretti Foundation to help produce and distribute 1.2 million tip cards at point of sale in Michigan. The program has already been launched in Wisconsin and Ohio will soon launch in Illinois.