Diageo’s New York Drag Queens Help Reverse U.S. Slump
By Andrew Cleary

July 16 (Bloomberg) – Diageo Plc mixed Ketel One vodka cocktails alongside performing drag queens at New York’s Love Ball last month, courting the 2,000-person gay and lesbian crowd and throngs outside in Times Square via jumbo TV screens.

The world’s largest liquor maker is spending more on marketing aimed at specific minority groups to revive U.S. sales growth,Larry Schwartz, president of Diageo’s U.S. unit, said in an interview. Diageo is sponsoring Pride Week parties in New York and San Francisco and running Spanish-language ads with Yankees baseball greats promoting Johnnie Walker whisky.

The efforts are paying off. (Read on…)