By Andrew Starke
Stoli Premium Vodka has launched an international consumer engagement campaign to raise awareness of the brand via social media channels.
Stoli Vodka Global Casting Call, a Facebook-based competition, will identify and reward original and creative people around the world.
The ten most original individuals will go into the running to win a trip to LA to attend an exclusive Stoli party at the Playboy Mansion and experience a zero gravity flight on the fringes of space.
The global initiative was launched on September 1 with countries including France, Portugal, Australia, Lebanon, UAE, Israel, Latvia, Lithuania, St. Maarten, Cayman Islands, Barbados, Jamaica, Trinidad, Bahamas and Austria taking part.
From September 1 until October 15, Stoli fans can visit the Stoli Vodka Australia Facebook page and enter the competition.
The winner and most original Australian will be announced on November 29 and will be jetting off to LA with a friend at the beginning of 2012.
“In 2011 we have been searching for, and rewarding original Australians by showcasing and supporting their ideas through the Stoli Original Fund,” said Suntory Australia brand manager, Frederick Duarte.
”This new global initiative continues Stoli’s quest to encourage Australians to truly unleash their creativity, with the reward being the ultimate once-in-a-lifetime adventure in LA.”
To celebrate the Sydney launch last night (Sep 13), bartender Luke Ashton was set the challenge by Stoli to create an original cocktail for guests.
“Everyone expresses originality in different ways,” he said. “For me, I express my creativity through the drinks I make. With the Stoli Supernova, I wanted to create a drink that is visually spectacular and illustrated the weightlessness of a zero gravity flight, but also had a flavour profile that was truly original.”
Ashton combined chilled Stoli Original and the chocolate spirit Mozart Dry with gellan to create a fluid gel, and then poured cold Cherry Tea Mix over a large ice globe.
This creates suspended red drops and swirls through the clear liquid to give the illusion of weightlessness in the cocktail as the red drops float throughout the drink.