A funny thing happened at Monday's "rum-soaked Bacardí Island Breeze schmoozefest on the roof of the Hotel Gansevoort" in New York City.  Bacardí officially welcomed their first and newest ALCOHOL-FREE spokesperson, Sex and the City's Kim Cattrall.
 
Kim Cattrall, the UK-born, American actress, is known for her Tetley Tea commercials in England.  You know, Tetley Tea, a product that has never ruined someone's life, caused a car accident, a divorce, domestic violence or anything even close.
 
Anyway, I think it's GREAT that Bacardí has a spokesperson who doesn't "favour" alcohol and believes in moderate consumption of all alcoholic products for those who feel their lives are not as happy OR COMPLETE without some booze.
 
So, Bacardí actually GOT IT RIGHT, as it turns out.  Congratulations to them!  Before you read the actual Bacardí press release (below), here's the actual TRUTH regarding Bacardí's first and newest ALCOHOL-FREE spokesperson .  .  .
 

«Sex and the Sippy
 
Remember we told you two weeks ago that Kim Cattrall had signed up to be the face of Bacardi Island Breeze drinks? Well, it seems there's trouble in paradise already between the former Sex And The City star and her new bosses.

In her first interview since being recruited for both press and print ads for the new low-calorie drink, Kim accidentally let slip that she won't actually be drinking them herself. "I'm not a big drinker and when I do, I get a headache," she admitted.
 
Cattrall's representatives are now attempting to downplay her comments, claiming she was "misquoted".»
 
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«Bacardi Promoter Cattrall Avoids Alcohol
 
Former Sex and the City star Kim Cattrall has stunned bosses of the new Bacardí cocktail range she's advertising by confessing she doesn't drink alcohol.
 
The English-born actress, 48, will appear in both print and television advertisements for the Caribbean alcohol giant's new low-calorie Island Breeze drinks.
 
However, although Cattrall has been recruited to bolster sales of the cocktails, she's already hinted she herself won't be consuming them.
 
She says, "I'm not a big drinker and when I do, I get a headache."
 
Cattrall's representatives have downplayed the comments, claiming she was "misquoted" out of context.»
 
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The news regarding Bacardí's first and newest ALCOHOL-FREE spokesperson also appears on the German website ProSieben.de .  .  .
 
«Kim Cattrall: No Alcohol!

 
Sex and the City –Darstellerin Kim Cattrall hat die Chefs von Bacardi überrascht, indem sie ihnen gestanden hat, dass sie eigentlich gar keinen Alkohol trinkt. Cattrall: "Ich trinke nicht viel und wenn ich es doch tue, bekomme ich Kopfschmerzen." Die 48-jährige wird sowohl in der Print- als auch in der TV-Werbung für die neuen kalorienarmen Island Breeze-Drinks zu sehen sein.»
 

Here's yesterday's official Bacardí press release .  .  .

«First Ever Lite Spirit Launched

Thursday May 12, 6:00 am ET

ISLAND BREEZE(TM) by Bacardi is The Original Lite Spirit(TM) 1/2 the calories of traditional spirits and wine*: only 48 Calories per 1.5 oz serving 

MIAMI, May 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Bacardi U.S.A., Inc. launches ISLAND BREEZE, the first ever lite spirit, with half the calories of traditional spirits and half the calories of wine, while providing great taste. With summer around the corner, 'The Original Lite Spirit,' ISLAND BREEZE satisfies adult consumers' (21+) desire to enjoy delicious cocktails without breaking the calorie bank.
 
(Photo: newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050512/NYTH045 )

"ISLAND BREEZE by Bacardi is revolutionizing the spirits industry, doing what the first lite beer did to the beer industry, and what the first diet cola did to the soft drink industry," says Alfredo Piedra, Chairman of Global New Product Development for Bacardi.

To kick off the launch of this new spirit, the brand chose Sex and the City® actress Kim Cattrall, who embodied the confident woman and led a revolution in cocktails, as the celebrity spokeswoman for the new, ground breaking product. Cattrall is appearing in a series of print and cable television ads touting ISLAND BREEZE, "The Original Lite Spirit(TM)." The alluring, confident persona and trademark sexiness of the Golden Globe® award-winning actress perfectly embodies ISLAND BREEZE, whose tagline is, "Now you can have it all(TM)."

"I am thrilled to be working with ISLAND BREEZE. I have always enjoyed cocktails socially, but I have been conscious of both the calories and drinking in moderation," said Cattrall. "That is why I agreed to endorse ISLAND BREEZE. It is the first lite spirit. Now, I can have great tasting, lighter cocktails that are low in calories. Now that's sexy."

The opportunity for ISLAND BREEZE goes well beyond spirits. "ISLAND BREEZE not only tested strongly with vodka and rum consumers, but also with women (21+) who enjoy other alcohol beverages" said Paul de la Torre, Global Marketing Manager for Bacardi New Product Development. Until now, white wine has been a primary option for consumers seeking a sophisticated lighter drink. Each ISLAND BREEZE flavor has 18% alcohol by volume and only 48 calories per standard 1.5 ounce serving, offering a stylish option that has half the calories of white wine (100 calories per serving) with great mixability. Also by comparison, traditional vodka, gin, and whisky have 96 calories per 1.5 oz serving, and wine has 114 calories per serving.

ISLAND BREEZE is made with Premium BACARDI rum, infused with natural fruit flavors and sucralose, a natural-sugar substitute with no caloric content. ISLAND BREEZE is available throughout the United States, giving consumers three great flavors - Key Lime, Coconut and Wild Berry. Suggested retail price is approximately $13.99 for a 750 ml. bottle.

For more information about ISLAND BREEZE, please visit: islandbreezelite.com.

Bacardi USA is the United States import, sales, and marketing arm of one of the world's leading wine and spirits producers. A wholly owned subsidiary of Bacardi Limited, Bacardi USA boasts a brand portfolio with some of the most recognized and top selling spirits and wines in the world: BACARDI rum, DEWAR'S blended scotch whisky, GREY GOOSE vodka, BOMBAY SAPPHIRE gin, MARTINI & ROSSI vermouth and asti, CAZADORES blue agave tequila and other noted brands.

ENJOY ISLAND BREEZE IN MODERATION

islandbreezelite.com

BACARDI AND THE BAT DEVICE ARE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS AND ISLAND BREEZE STYLIZED IS A TRADEMARK OF BACARDI & COMPANY LIMITED. ©2005 BACARDI U.S.A., INC., MIAMI, FL. DISTILLED SPIRITS SPECIALTIES - EACH FLAVOR 18% ALC. BY VOL.

AV. ANALYSIS: ISLAND BREEZE (1.5 FL. OZ.): 48 CAL, 1.5g CARBS, 0g PROTEIN, 0g FAT.

+AV. ANALYSIS: Traditional Spirits (1.5 FL. OZ.): 96 CAL, 0g CARBS, 0g PROTEIN, 0g FAT (Traditional Spirits based on Vodka, Gin, Rum, Whiskey). AV. ANALYSIS: Wine (5 FL. OZ.): 114 CAL, 4.72g CARBS, 0.29g PROTEIN, 0g FAT. AV. ANALYSIS: White Wine (5 FL. OZ.): 100 CAL, 1.18g CARBS, 0.15g PROTEIN, 0g FAT.

AV. ANALYSIS source for Traditional Spirits and Wine: USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 17.

* DRINK RECIPE CALORIES BASED ON LOW-CARB CRANBERRY JUICE, LOW-CARB ORANGE

JUICE, SUGAR-FREE LEMONADE, LIME JUICE AND PINEAPPLE JUICE PRODUCTS FROM

LEADING NATIONAL BRANDS.

Source: Bacardi U.S.A., Inc.»
 
And finally, according to Lloyd Grove from The New York Daily News, Bacardí's first and newest ALCOHOL-FREE spokesperson also had some SOBER advice for Britney Spears, who HOPEFULLY is laying off the booze while she is pregnant .  .  .
 
«MOMMY DEAREST ALERT?

Kim Cattrall played Britney Spears' mother in the 2002 movie "Crossroads," but she doesn't sound entirely confident about Spears' own maternal instincts. "I hope that she'll take the time to be a good mother," Cattrall told Lowdown at yesterday's rum-soaked Bacardi Island Breeze schmoozefest on the roof of the Hotel Gansevoort.  "The one thing you can't have more of is time, and time well-spent, especially in the first seven years of your child's life. I can't imagine having a baby and missing its first steps or its first words, and I would hate for her to miss that."»
 
While we all know that Bacardí -- and EVERYONE in the alcoholic beverage industry -- would much rather have -IF THEY COULD GET AWAY WITH IT- spokeschildren like the Sprouse twins from Disney's The Suite Life of Zack and Cody promoting their products, I think it's fitting that this time, at least, they finally have a spokesperson they DESERVE.

Well, that's all folks! Until next Friday.

Keith


For motivational speeches, conferences, media requests and other things such as eating disorders, you'll have to contact someone else. My only qualifications for writing a weekly column are based solely upon having a lot of free time, unlimited Internet access and very little else.