Zantac hires maximum strength agency: c-k

Media contact:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CRAMER-KRASSELT TOASTS THE WIN OF SOBIESKI VODKA
PUBLIC RELATIONS ACCOUNT
NEW YORK – April 14, 2009 – Imperial Brands, Inc. has tapped independent marketing and
communications firm Cramer-Krasselt Public Relations as its PR agency of record for Sobieski Vodka following a review. Sobieski, Poland’s #1 premium vodka, topped all prior records for a new spirit to achieve the 255,000 case milestone in the U.S. last year. “Our honest, back-to-basics approach has been quickly embraced by consumers tired of overpriced, overhyped spirits—especially during these difficult economic times when, now more than ever, people are seeking a premium vodka that is affordable,” said Timo Sutinen, V.P. of Marketing and Business Development, Imperial Brands, Inc, the exclusive importer of Sobieski Vodka and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Belvédère S.A. “Cramer-Krasselt came to us with a compelling and insightful strategy to help us ‘spread the truth’ to an even wider audience to bring us closer to achieving our goal of being the new vodka brand that reaches the one million- The assignment will include media relations, social media engagement, guerilla marketing, events and promotions to be handled out of C-K’s New York office. “The current economic climate has turned the premium spirits category—traditionally steeped in promises of models, money and a better life through liquor—on its head. The time has come for an authentic, quality vodka offered at a real, sensible price,” said Deb Radman, SVP/Director of Public Relations, C-K New York. “People are returning to a value system based on what’s important, not what costs a lot. This is where we see great opportunity to help Sobieski change the conversation in the category and embrace this new reality.” C-K’s PR efforts will kick off this month. About Sobieski Vodka
Sobieski Vodka, the #1 premium vodka in Poland and one of the world’s best-selling and fastest
growing vodka brands, makes no compromises on quality and exemplifies the height of Polish
craftsmanship and authenticity. Building on a noble heritage, Sobieski Vodka is produced
exclusively from the revered Dankowski rye at a distillery dating back to 1846. In summer 2007,
Sobieski Vodka launched its “Truth in Vodka” campaign, declaring that consumers don’t have to
pay a king’s ransom to get superb vodka. Their back-to-basics approach to marketing, which
focuses on what goes in the bottle—tradition, heritage, authenticity and taste—is in marked
contrast to competitors who rely on lavish packaging and gimmicky ad campaigns that have
resulted in a deluge of overpriced vodkas.
In fall 2007, Sobieski Vodka was ranked the #1 vodka in the premium category by the Beverage
Testing Institute (BTI) in a blind-tasting of 108 vodkas, the largest review of vodkas in its
history, and earned a Gold Medal and Best Buy Award. It was also ranked #1 in a blind-tasting
of 25 major international vodka brands conducted by La Revue du Vin de France, one of
France’s top wine and spirits publications. Sobieski Vodka’s suggested retail price is $10.99 for
a 750 ml bottle and $19.99 for a 1.75 liter bottle. For more information, please visit


About Imperial Brands, Inc.
Imperial Brands, Inc. is an importer and marketer of distinctive wines and spirits. Headquartered
in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., it is a U.S. subsidiary of Belvédère S.A., one of Europe’s largest
producers and distributors of white spirits and wines. Belvédère S.A. operates production and
distribution units in Poland, France, Bulgaria, Lithuania and the U.S. and additionally owns
subsidiaries in Russia, Canada, Spain, Scandinavia and Brazil. Belvédère S.A. purchased Marie
Brizard & Roger International in July 2006.
Imperial Brands, Inc. also owns Florida Distillers Co., which has two production facilities
located in Florida. This provides bottling capacity of 5 million (9-liter) cases of distilled spirits
for the company and a base on which to coordinate its expansion across the U.S. For more
information, please vis

About Cramer-Krasselt Public Relations
Cramer-Krasselt Public Relations is part of Cramer-Krasselt, the third-largest independent marketing and communications agency in the U.S., with billings nearing $1 billion. An Advertising Age “Agency to Watch” two years running, C-K has grown by nearly 50 percent since 2006. C-K is frequently recognized for its insight-driven creativity—spanning advertising, direct, interactive, promotions and public relations—that helps clients change the conversation within their category. Headquartered in Chicago with offices in New York, Milwaukee and Phoenix, it represents major brands across virtually every industry, including: AirTran Airways, Benjamin Moore, Bissell, BRP (including Ski-Doo and Sea-Doo brands), Briggs & Stratton, Churchill Downs Inc., Corona Beer, Edward Jones, H. J. Heinz Co., Kohl’s, Porsche Cars North America, Sealy, TransUnion’s TrueCredit.com, University of Phoenix, Whirlpool and Zantac. For more information, visit Cramer-Krasselt at

Source: http://www.ibrandsinc.com/pdf/C-K_PR_Sobieski_Pres_1242835882.pdf