Happy Marriage To a Spirit
February 18, 2009
Thousands of distillery, winery, and brewery owners, businessmen and marketers from all over the world are struggling to find the right prediction to a billion dollar guess: what is going to be the next drink of choice?
An immigrant from Russia, Ph.D. in Linguistics, and now a small business owner tracked the roots of the multi-meaning word Spirit to realize that the modern world doesn’t seem to lack spirits, or alcoholic beverages, neither in variety, quality or quantity. The world might be short in possessing non-materialistic qualities represented by this great word.
“Touring around my neighborhood liquor stores in the suburbs of Houston,” Katerina started her story, “I often open my conversation with the store owners by asking the same question: Do you want to have a look at the product that can be a happy marriage to your store?”
And this is a typical scenario of my conversation with them.
“Happy marriage?”
These words were always echoed, as the storeowner face changed to a mix of sudden confusion, disbelief, and a hint of a smile. The “marriage proposal” to his store seemed so intriguing that he could not refuse to have a look at the product. I put my box in the shape and size of a briefcase on the counter.
“Rosinka Spirit Companion,” he mumbles as he reads the title on the box. I take the outside wrapper off and open the box. The overall impression of what he sees brightens his face.
“Is it food?” the storeowner asks.
“Not only. I would rather say it is mood. The food is a part of it, and it was carefully selected to match a certain beverage.”
“To match?”
“Yes, to match. And we have used research, traditions, and experts’ advice for it. Let me give you a simple example to show that matches exist. Would you like a pickle with your Champaign? ”
“Ha! I can’t even think of it.”
“And you are right. There is not only social or cultural, but also a scientific explanation to it. Do you know what beverage a pickle is the best and traditional pairing to? Vodka. Many people drink vodka or other liquor in cocktails just because they don’t know what food to balance it with. But what is the point in buying premium quality expensive spirits and then dilute them with bubbly sodas or murky juices? Where are the appreciation of flavors, aromas, and the art of distillery?”
“So, is it kind of a food gift basket for liquor store customers?”
“Yes and no, though food gift baskets might be our distant and silly relatives. I will show you more of a difference.” I break the wax-seal on the package attached to the lid of the box and untie the hemp twine. “To the Toast Master!” I say in a solemn voice, flip the card and read, “Let’s drink to your coffin.” I always like to pause here and look at my frozen listener. “May it be built from the wood of a hundred year old oak tree that I shall plant tomorrow. Traditional Irish toast, by the way.”
Sighing and smiling with relief, he moves his body as if he is wagging his tail. I read the second toast card to him.
“Yesterday is ashes; tomorrow is wood; only today does the fire burn brightly. May we enjoy the warmth of every present moment!”
“I like this one. Deep! What is the third one?”
“The last one is not a toast. The third card can be an interesting story, or curious facts, a set of jokes, or a beautiful legend that people might not know or ever read in their busy lives, but they are worth noticing and are given to spark a conversation or a thought.”
The third card turned out to be a collection of jokes.
“Can you leave this card for me?” asked the storeowner when I finished reading. “I need to read one joke to my cousin.”
“Which one?” I couldn’t hide my curiosity.
“The one about karaoke bar.” He took the card from me and read with an evident delight. “Karaoke bars combine two of the nation’s greatest evils: people who shouldn’t drink with people who shouldn’t sing.”
For a second I think I could clearly picture his cousin in my mind. “You know what?” I continued, “Toasts and story cards were unexpectedly very successful during my company’s presentations at a Texas winery. People were enthusiastic as elementary school kids raising their hands in impatience to be the next Toast Master.”
“Really? How did you come up with this your spirit companion idea?” asked my future business partner signing the invoice and stacking the boxes.
“It is not me. It was just passed to me from ancient philosophers. But that is a whole different story we will save for the next time.”
So, do we need more liquors or to invent fancier cocktails? Perhaps we need to lift our spirits with the right “companion”. Companion as enjoyable as a happy marriage.
This article can also be found published online at 24-7 Press Release, PR Compass, and PR Canada.
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