JAMESON® IRISH WHISKEY NAMED “SPIRITS BRAND OF THE YEAR”
Jameson Irish Whiskey, the fastest growing premium spirits brand in the U.S* and clear leader and primary driver of Irish Whiskey category growth, has added another prestigious award to its burgeoning collection: Market Watch Spirits Brand of the Year. The award was announced at the annual Market Watch Leaders dinner held September 21 in New York City. Paul Duffy, Chairman and CEO of Pernod Ricard USA, accepted the award on behalf of the brand team and the company.
The award was voted on by a group of more than 200 active retail leaders from across the country who collectively represent more than $10 billion in sales. Wayne Hartunian, Vice President of Marketing, Whiskies & Cognac for Pernod Ricard USA said, “This honor represents yet another critical measure of success and recognition for Jameson. If anyone has their finger on the pulse of our industry, it is the retailers and on-premise operators on the front line with consumers who ultimately make the decision on what to purchase. And they now have spoken.” The awards presentation announcement included many glowing comments about Jameson, including one that sums up the brand’s achievements – “This year’s Spirits Brand of the Year is a brand that, simply put, built a category.”
The recipient of nine consecutive “Hot Brand” awards from Impact magazine, Jameson has built its U.S. presence through a series of skillful advertising and marketing campaigns and a focused and dedicated sales effort. Since 1995, brand sales have increased by 700,000 cases in the U.S., and today Jameson holds an astonishing 72 percent share of its category. “Jameson has been on a remarkable roll of healthy growth that has not been reliant on price support, and that has proven resilient in the shaky economic climate of the past few years,” Hartunian said. “Several dynamics strongly suggest that the brand is still in its infancy, with the potential for significant future growth.”
Hartunian concluded, “We are honored to receive this great award from Market Watch and congratulate all who have been a part of Jameson’s remarkable success.”
