A toast is in order. Caesar—the drink, not the dictator—turned 40 this week.
To celebrate the anniversary of the classic Canadian cocktail Mott’s hosted a party at Calgary’s
With Calgary Mayor David Bronconnier in attendance Mott’s also launched another initiative, a petition to make the caesar Canada’s official cocktail. Although the petition is part of Mott’s marketing campaign, vice-president of marketing for Mott’s Canada Libier Gomez, said Mott’s intentions are very real.
If there is enough consumer response, she said, the company will ask Parliament Hill to make the “national drink” official.
Gomez said Mott’s knew from consumer response and its internal sales team that its customers see the caesar as a piece of Canadiana and its origins as a source of pride.
“The consumption of caesars in Canada is high,” said Gomez. Canadians drink as many as 350 million caesars a year, according to Mott’s and Gomez emphasized that consumers love the drink coast-to-coast. “It doesn’t matter where you travel, you can always find it,” she said.
Mott’s has had tremendous support from bars, many of which have created their own signature caesar, she said. The Westin Hotel will be celebrating the anniversary all month, adding caesar bolognese, caesar corn dogs, and a caesar breakfast Benedict with Clamato-poached eggs to its menu.
To leverage the buzz created by the Clamato-based cocktail’s anniversary, Mott’s sent out a press release and invited members of the media to the Westin. The Calgary Herald, CBC, Canoe, Canadian Press, have all reported on the anniversary.
In addition to its communications push, Mott’s released two TV ads that highlight the anniversary in March, including one for its ready-to-drink caesar and another for it’s original Clamato juice. Mott’s has also sent in-store signage to retailers and is printing anniversary logos on its packaging.
