Blackstone targets Lollapalooza again

Constellation’s Blackstone brand has again won exclusive rights to push its wines to young Americans at the Lollapalooza festival.

Whether they came to see Wilco, Kanye West, The Raconteurs, or Nine Inch Nails, attendees of last weekend’s Lollapalooza music fest in Chicago all drank the same brand of wine.

Blackstone, a Constellation brand that makes one of America’s top selling Merlots, used the three-day alternative music festival to push its wines to young Americans – an increasingly important demographic to American wineries.

In exchange for cash sponsorship and provision of free wine at two VIP tents, Blackstone bought the exclusive right to sell wine at the event for the second straight year. Merlot and Pinot Grigio were US$6 per biodegradable cup or US$24 per plastic bottle.

Constellation reports that over 100,000 glasses of wine were sold, a 20% increase over last year.

Blackstone is also a sponsor of the seminal Austin City Limits concert series in Austin, Texas.

‘These events keep us relevant to emerging wine drinkers – taking wine from the white table cloth restaurants and into the places where people are choosing to spend their leisure time,’ Blackstone spokesperson Rebecca Hopkins said.

‘Our age group at Lollapalooza is slightly lower than Austin City Limits, but consumption per head for both events is almost equal, indicating we have an untapped group of wine drinkers.’

Lollapalooza was founded in 1991 by Jane’s Addiction singer Perry Farrell. The festival was a showcase for grunge, hiphop and punk bands, as well as providing a platform for leftwing political groups. It faded in 1997 but was revived again in 2003.

Written by Tim Teichgraeber in San Francisco