“Chief Creative” is the new “celebrity spokesperson.” You already knew this, and the trend is hardly new. But it must be working (we think?) since more clients keep hopping on the bandwagon.
Bacardi appointed Kasseem Dean, better known by his stage name, Swizz Beatz, as “Global Chief Creative for Culture for Bacardi with oversight for the entire Bacardi portfolio of brands.”
The goal of the apppointment, according to a press release, “is to develop partnerships, activations and ideas that further incorporate the Bacardi brands into the worlds of music, art and film.” Dean will also represent Bacardi and its various brands at cultural activations in the U.S. and in developing markets as part of the deal. It’s almost like his celebrity led to the hire or something.
Bacardi worked with Swizz Beats last December on a three-day cultural experience at Art Basel 2015 in Miami, where he performed along with his wife, Alicia Keys, DMX, Wiz Khalifa, DJ Khaled and others. Remember that Keys served in a similar creative director role for Blackberry a few years back. She may or may not have sent a promo tweet from an iPhone while holding the title; she claimed she was hacked, and a grand total of zero people believed her.
Anyway, here are the quotes.
“For Bacardi, having Swizz as a partner represents an opportunity to sell more than just bottles and cocktails. It represents a convergence of our brands in lifestyle and cultural experiences,” said Bacardi Limited CEO Mike Dolan. “Consumers are identifying with brands that fit their lifestyle in culturally relevant ways and Swizz is the perfect partner to identify and forge these new consumer connections.”
“Besides having amazing brand recognition, great-tasting products and leadership that pushes boundaries, Bacardi has a deep heritage in music, film, culture and the arts, so they’re a great partner to help bring my vision to life,” added Beatz, possibly while sipping on Cruzan. “Also, I wanted to partner with a company that, like Bacardi, has a long history of giving back to the community through its philanthropic activities. As the Bacardi Global Chief Creative for Culture, I will be involved in all aspects of the product—from brand marketing and advertising to innovation and selling platforms—areas to which I will bring a new, fresh perspective.”
Where will Beatz take his rum? Who can even guess?!