Ketel One Vodka Launches “You Don’t Understand, It Has To Be Perfect” Campaign Honoring Family Tradition, Heritage And Perfection

Brand Launches Witty New 360 Marketing Campaign And Immersive Virtual Reality Experience

At the heart of Ketel One Vodka lies one family’s unwavering passion for crafting the world’s finest spirits. Inspired by over 325 years of distilling expertise, the Nolet Family brings old-world pot still craft and modern distilling techniques together in one flawless process. From Joannes to Jacobus to Carolus Sr., creator of Ketel One Vodka, to Carolus Jr. and Bob Nolet today, each of the 11 generations of Nolet family distillers is tasked with upholding a legacy of distilling excellence. Some may consider the Nolets a little obsessive, but those individuals just don’t understand. Everything must be done with meticulous attention to detail, because the family name is riding on every bottle of Ketel One Vodka.

Ketel One Vodka launches “You Don’t Understand, It Has To Be Perfect” Campaign

“We take our work very seriously, not ourselves,” said Carl Nolet Jr., 11th Generation Nolet Family Distillery. “The stories we tell are all true and based on family events, beliefs and the pressure of upholding 11 generations of legacy for generations to come.”

From this truth, a new campaign was born. Developed in partnership with Barton F. Graf, Ketel One’s new 360 marketing campaign “You Don’t Understand, It Has To Be Perfect” has fun with generational pressure and its result: the obsessive attention to detail and great lengths the Nolet family goes to in order to ensure every batch of Ketel One Vodka is perfect. This campaign represents a first glimpse at the authentically Dutch and witty side of the Nolet family.

Ketel One Vodka | Tasting Profiles

Generations | Ketel One | It Has To Be Perfect – https://youtu.be/zynyOCLS0Yg

Speaking to the next generation of vodka distillers, the series of eight humorous “training videos” directed by Canada made its national TV debut on Monday, November 21st, airing on a number of networks. In addition to the reach Ketel One will garner through high impact TV, the films will live in digital, primarily on YouTube, Hulu and programmatically across the web. OOH and social media, principally Facebook and Instagram, will also serve as touchpoints for the campaign.

The original copper Pot Still #1, after which Ketel One Vodka is named

Family tradition, heritage and perfection are themes woven through the fabric of the new campaign from Ketel One that sets out to bring its unrivaled family legacy and pioneering quality credentials to consumers in a bold, engaging and distinctive way.

Ketel One Vodka | Generations | You Don’t Understand, It Has To Be Perfect

Carl Jr. stated, “Consumers don’t just buy what you do, they buy why you do it. Through this campaign and our new Virtual Reality experience, consumers can now experience first-hand why Ketel One is made the way it is.” The category is saturated with products flaunting claims about how they are made. However, unlike Ketel One, very few have an authentic explanation for why they are driven to create quality spirits. “Lucky for us, we have a true story to tell about living up to a legacy, striving for perfection in every batch, and the pressure to please one’s family,” said Carl. “These motivations are universally relatable. My family and I are proud of what we have achieved over the last 325 years, but rest assured, we are just getting started.”

The witty tone of voice, spirit of perfection and meticulous attention to detail will inform all future initiatives for Ketel One Vodka. This includes cocktail strategy, consumer events and bartender engagement. “We have always considered talented bartenders around the world part of our extended family,” said Carl Nolet Jr. “As gatekeepers of the brand, bartenders have been vital in making Ketel One Vodka one of the world’s most recommended vodkas, and we will continue to learn from them.”

LeBron James is the 2016 Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year

According to the editors of Sports Illustrated, anyone can make a case for sports itself as the 2016 Sportsperson of the Year. How many tweets, Instagram posts, memes, GIFs, Vines (RIP!) throughout the year began and ended with that single word? Every month, it seemed, unlocked a new watershed moment, a little bit bigger and more dramatic than the previous one, a sort of Russian nesting doll in reverse. Who, in January, would have been so bold to divine that both the Cubs and a team from Cleveland would win a championship, or that a 5,000-1 shot would win the English Premier League championship? Other, less shocking events—the continued Olympic excellence of Bolt, Phelps, Ledecky and Biles; a record-tying seventh NASCAR championship for Jimmie Johnson—bolstered a powerful argument for this being the Greatest Year in Sports. In the end, however, one person absolutely came out on top.

Photo credit: Robert Beck/ Sports Illustrated (PRNewsFoto/Time Inc.)

Time Inc.‘s Sports Illustrated today announced that Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James is the 2016 Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year. In a year full of stirring and historic performances across all sports, James was transcendent, rallying the Cavaliers from a 3-1 deficit against the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals to deliver the city of Cleveland’s first championship in a major sport since 1964. James, who has now won three NBA titles, was named Finals MVP for the third time in his career. More important to fans in Cleveland, he delivered on the promise he made when he returned to the Cavaliers as a free agent in 2014: to bring the franchise in his home state its first NBA crown. James will be honored at the Sportsperson of the Year event at Barclays Center, in Brooklyn on December 12.

SI 2016 Sportsperson of the Year (PRNewsFoto/Time Inc.)

James will be honored alongside the 2016 SI Sports Illustrated Muhammad Ali Legacy Award Winners Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jim Brown and Bill Russell; the SI Kids SportsKids of the Year and other top names and moments from the year in sports at SI’s special Sportsperson of the Year celebration taking place at Barclays Center on December 12. The star-studded affair, which will also be attended by Lonnie Ali, will include a special awards dinner and ceremony with tributes to some of the world’s most legendary athletes and special guests.

Since 1954, Sports Illustrated has annually presented the Sportsperson of the Year award to the player, coach or team who has best personified the ideals of athletic achievement and sportsmanship. James, who was also SI’s SOTY in 2012, is only the second two-time winner of the award (Tiger Woods: 1996, 2000). The list of past SOTY honorees is a who’s who of the greatest athletes of the last half century who have transcended their sport including Muhammad Ali, Billie Jean King, Arthur Ashe, Michael Jordan, Wayne Gretzky and Serena Williams. This is the seventh time the Sportsperson award has gone to a professional basketball player. The others were Dwyane Wade (2006), Tim Duncan and David Robinson (’03), Michael Jordan (1991), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1985) and Bill Russell (1968).

“It’s hard to remember a year with such a crowded field of Sportsperson candidates,” said Chris Stone, Sports Illustrated Editor in Chief. “But in the end LeBron James was the clear choice. It’s not just the way he took over the NBA Finals—though that performance was epic. It’s that LeBron was also carrying the weight of that promise he made when he returned to Cleveland in 2014. It’s a special thing for a favorite son to follow through on that kind of commitment to his hometown. Especially since he doubles down on that commitment off the court, with the work his foundation does for underserved kids in Akron and with his increasing willingness to speak out in the fight for social justice. On court and off, James was the athlete in full in 2016.”

James, a four-time NBA MVP and 12-time All-Star, enhanced his legacy as one of basketball’s all-time greats in this year’s NBA Finals. With the Cavaliers down three games to one, he scored 41 points in Game 5 and again in Game 6 to help Cleveland tie the series. In the deciding seventh game, a four-point Cavaliers win on the Warriors’ home court, James had a triple-double, just the third such performance ever in a Finals Game 7. His come-from-behind block of Andre Igoudala‘s attempted fast-break layup with less than two minutes to play instantly became one of the iconic plays in NBA history and a key factor in Cleveland becoming the first NBA team to come back from a 3-1 deficit and win the title.

James’s impact extends beyond the court. Through the LeBron James Family Foundation the Akron native has partnered with The University of Akron to guarantee four-year scholarships to qualifying children in James’s Akron I PROMISE Network program. Currently there are more than 1,100 students enrolled, the equivalent of more than $41 million in support. His Wheels for Education program supports at-risk third-grade students in the inner city and follows them all the way through graduation and beyond, and last month the foundation established the I PROMISE Institute, aimed at making the transition to college easier for these students and their families by providing the resources and support they need as they pursue their higher educations. Additionally, the foundation recently announced a $2.5 million donation to the Muhammad Ali exhibit at the new Smithsonian Museum of African American History and Culture honoring Ali’s legacy in athletics, activism and beyond.

Following the announcement, James said via Twitter, “Humbled! This honor belongs to everyone around me: my family, fans, team, & my @ljfamfoundation kids. #WeAreFamily #StriveForGreatness #RWTW”

Banana Republic And The Council Of Fashion Designers Of America Announce A Second Installment Of Their Partnership Supporting Emerging Designers

Greg Lauren and Banana Republic Collaborate on a Limited-Edition Men’s Capsule Debuting at Select Banana Republic Stores for Holiday 2016

Banana Republic and the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) are excited to continue their partnership with the launch of a limited-edition capsule collection with artist and designer, Greg Lauren. The Greg Lauren for Banana Republic menswear collection debuts at select Banana Republic stores beginning this month. The collection will launch at select Banana Republic retail locations December 6, 2016.

The CFDA and Banana Republic first worked together for a special collaboration in Spring 2016, launching a women’s capsule collection created with New York-based design trio, Timo Weiland. For the second installment of their partnership, they have teamed with Greg Lauren to debut a menswear collection that is designed, cut and sewn in Los Angeles. The capsule will include 16 pieces, which marry Lauren’s iconic, utilitarian style with Banana Republic‘s classic American sportswear sensibility.

The Council Of Fashion Designers Of America logo

The Council of Fashion Designers of America, Inc, (CFDA) is a not-for-profit trade association founded in 1962 that leads industry-wide initiatives and whose membership consists of more than 450 of America’s foremost womenswear, menswear, jewelry, and accessory designers. In addition to hosting the annual CFDA Fashion Awards, which recognize the top creative talent in the industry, the organization owns the Fashion Calendar, and serves as the official keeper of New York Fashion Week. It stages the bi-annual New York Fashion Week: Men’s.

“Our partnership with Banana Republic has allowed two designers the opportunity to grow and expand their consumer and production capacities in ways that otherwise may not have been possible,” says Steven Kolb, President and Chief Executive Officer of the CFDA. “We are happy to be able to work with an iconic American brand like Banana Republic and look forward to debuting the Greg Lauren for Banana Republic collection this holiday.”

Greg Lauren (Los Arys)

After gaining recognition as a painter, Greg Lauren created Greg Lauren in 2011 with the mission of “designing clothing from the perspective of being an artist, and making garments using an artistic approach” Specializing in a “destroyed but elegant” aesthetic, the collection combines repurposed vintage military fabrics with new fabrics put through unique artistic processes to give everything a one of a kind feeling and aesthetic. Greg Lauren is now available in over 50 boutiques worldwide, and is made entirely in Los Angeles.

Four Seasons Resort And Residences Whistler Launches High-Altitude Dining

Explore A Collection Of Curated Taste Of Place Experiences With Four Seasons Hotels And Resorts

Available now through October 2017, Four Seasons Resort and Residences Whistler is offering High-Altitude Dining as part of the new Four Seasons Taste of Place global initiative.

Four Seasons Resort and Residences Whistler

The Taste Of Place Global Initiative features a curated collection of culinary experiences available only through Four Seasons that invites guests and local gourmands to step behind the scenes and take a look at diverse local culinary practices, traditions and experiments. Participating properties worldwide have created comprehensive itineraries that will explore uncharted aspects of the local food culture, building on the personal relationships and intimate connections between Four Seasons and local food vendors, farmers, butchers, distillers and mixologists. The exclusive experiences range from private tours of regional breweries and vineyards to deep sea fishing excursions and farm-to-table mixology classes. In addition, several curated itineraries will immerse guests in progressive dining experiences that unfold in unique settings with remarkable views of the natural landscape.

Guests are invited to embark on an unforgettable adventure that begins with a short and scenic drive from the Resort to Whistler’s heliport. A private helicopter awaits to whisk guests to a remote ice cap as they sip on a glass of sparkling Moët Ice Impérial.

Taste Of Whistler: High-Altitude Dining, a high-flying culinary experience features glacial peak aperitifs and panoramic mountain views. Guests are invited to embark on an unforgettable adventure that begins with a short and scenic drive from the Resort to Whistler’s heliport. A private helicopter awaits to whisk guests to a remote ice cap as they sip on a glass of sparkling Moët Ice Impérial. To ensure a completely cosy Canadian experience guests will be provided with Canada Goose black label parkas and sleek, waterproof Sorel boots to keep, ensuring maximum comfort and warmth for this excursion and years to come.

Four Seasons Resort and Residences Whistler

The helicopter delivers guests to a nearby glacial peak where they embark on an ice cave exploration, discovering a 12,000-year-old labyrinth of chambers of aqua blue magnificence. While engaging in this spectacular sightseeing, participants are required to gather a crucial ingredient for the upcoming cocktail session – pure glacier ice. The Resort’s Mixologist will shake the ice into one of their signature specialties amid the majestic beauty of Whistler’s mountain peaks.

The helicopter delivers guests to a nearby glacial peak where they embark on an ice cave exploration, discovering a 12,000-year-old labyrinth of chambers of aqua blue magnificence. (Image courtesy of Four Seasons Resort And Residences Whistler)

(Image courtesy of Four Seasons Resort And Residences Whistler)

(Image courtesy of Four Seasons Resort And Residences Whistler)

(Image courtesy of Four Seasons Resort And Residences Whistler)

Once cocktail hour is complete, guests will board the helicopter and take in the alpine scenery before returning to a luxurious Private Residence featuring panoramic views. Executive Chef Eren Guryel will prepare a memorable dinner boasting locally sourced ingredients and premium meat cuts paired with custom cocktails that complement each dish.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jim Brown and Bill Russell to Receive the 2016 Sports Illustrated Muhammad Ali Legacy Award

Transcendent Athletes and Champions of Social Justice to Be Honored During Sportsperson of the Year Ceremony, December 12 at Barclays Center

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jim Brown and Bill Russell will receive the 2016 Sports Illustrated Muhammad Ali Legacy Award in honor of their athletic achievement and leadership as social activists.

KAREEM ABDUL-JABBAR, JIM BROWN AND BILL RUSSELL TO RECEIVE THE SPORTS ILLUSTRATED MUHAMMAD ALI LEGACY AWARD (PRNewsFoto/Time Inc.)

The Sports Illustrated Legacy Award was born in 2008, when Eunice Kennedy Shriver, founder and driving force behind the Special Olympics, was the inaugural honoree. In 2014, Earvin (Magic) Johnson was honored for his two decades as an entrepreneur, philanthropist, social and political activist. Last year SI renamed the award in honor of Ali in recognition of his decades as a boxing legend, humanitarian, civil rights activist and icon. Jack Nicklaus was the first to receive the rededicated award, during the 2015 Sportsperson of the Year ceremony.

The three Legacy Award recipients will be honored alongside the 2016 SI Sportsperson of the Year winner, the SI Kids SportsKids of the Year and other top names and moments from the year in sports at SI’s special Sportsperson of the Year celebration taking place at The Barclays Center on December 12. The star-studded affair, which will also be attended by Lonnie Ali, will include a special awards dinner and ceremony with tributes to some of the world’s most legendary athletes, live musical performances and a VIP red carpet entrance featuring celebrities of sports and entertainment. (More information about how to attend the event at Barclays Center can be found here.)

Abdul-Jabbar, 69, is the NBA’s all-time leading scorer and a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame. Off the court, he has become a fierce advocate for social change, a best-selling author and a U.S. Cultural Ambassador, a role in which he travels the world promoting the importance of education, tolerance and cultural understanding. Abdul-Jabbar, who was SI’s 1985 Sportsman of the Year, received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama earlier this month.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who was SI’s 1985 Sportsman of the Year (read original cover story here), received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama earlier this month.

“Muhammad Ali was both a friend and a personal inspiration to me as an athlete and as an activist,” Abdul-Jabbar said in a statement. “To receive an award in his name is especially moving because it means I am honoring his legacy as a man who defied conventions and courageously risked life and career to making America a land of freedom, equal opportunity and social justice.”

Brown, 80, is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and was a three-time NFL MVP with the Cleveland Browns. After his retirement from football, he founded the Black Economic Union to promote economic development in black communities, and the Amer-I-Can program, which teaches life skills to underprivileged children. He has also dedicated his life to combating violence and gang culture in inner cities.

“I am deeply touched to be honored for a lifetime spent working to establish common ground and mutual respect for all perspectives and backgrounds,” Brown said. “I hope that this tribute serves as a symbol of inspiration for all Americans to be champions of social justice. This is a proud moment for me, and I am thrilled to be recognized alongside two other transformative athletes with whom I share a long history of activism and friendship, and for whom I have great respect.“

Robb Report Unveils Annual Holiday Ultimate Gift Guide

December Issue Reveals 31 of the Greatest Luxury Gifts the Season Has to Offer

Robb Report, the global voice in true luxury, has outdone itself once again with the unveiling of its annual list of ultimate gifts for the holiday season. The highly anticipated December issue, on national newsstands now, includes the 33rd installment of Robb Report‘s Ultimate Gift Guide, which celebrates the season by exploring the boundaries of human creativity and connoisseurship.

Robb Report Unveils Ultimate Holiday Gift Guide In December Issue (PRNewsFoto/Robb Report)

Robb Report is the leading voice in global luxury, with its fingers on the pulse of the latest superlative products and experiences that today’s modern consumers seek. The magazine’s discerning and exceptionally affluent audience looks to Robb Report to inform, inspire, and impress them through directional content curated by luxury experts, including coverage of automobiles, aircraft, fine dining, travel, timepieces and fine jewelry, style and design, arts and culture, spirits, and cigars.

For the 2016 edition of Robb Report’s Ultimate Gift Guide, the editors searched far and wide for inspiration, from the seas (a 364-foot superyacht designed by Andy Waugh) and skies (the first-ever supersonic business jet) to the streets (a stunning speedster from the revived Bristol Cars) and even the stage (Eric Clapton’s 1939 Martin 000-42 acoustic guitar). This one-of-a-kind collection covers gifts both big (a larger-than-life outdoor chess set) and small (the world’s tiniest family portrait), as well as once-in-a-lifetime opportunities like a takeover for you and 23 of your closest friends of a full session of Robb Report’s coveted Car of the Year competition, including premier Napa Valley wine tastings, private air transport from Los Angeles to Napa, and fine dining courtesy of Michelin-starred chefs Thomas Keller of The French Laundry and Christopher Kostow of The Restaurant at Meadowood.

In addition to ensuring a truly spirited holiday season, the December edition of Robb Report provides a top-10 list of the most epic ski trips adrenaline junkies should seek out in 2017, as well as a guide on how best to wear the crisp-weather menswear staple of shearling. Contributors test-drives BMW’s Alpina B7 xDrive in its monthly Drive department, and in Personal Best, Christie’s chairman David Linley reflects on the house’s history, his own royal heritage, and the future of collecting.

“The editors of Robb Report spend 12 long months searching the market for the best-in-class for every issue, but this annual holiday compilation devoted to the ultimate in gift giving spotlights the most incredible products and experiences to be found anywhere, at any time of year,” said Robb Report editor in chief Brett Anderson. “We continue to surprise and delight our readers, as well as ourselves, with the incredible selection of luxury gifts featured in the December issue. The holiday season is about brightening spirits, festive celebrations with loved ones, and the joys of sharing, and we at Robb Report aspire to deliver these moments to our audience year-round. That’s what it means, after all, to live life at its best.”

Robb Report‘s focus on the festive continues online with a carefully curated collection for holiday shoppers, covering every category from gifts for the gem lover or home-design buff to gifts for the road-tripper or toastmaster, and even a selection of stocking stuffers for those who appreciate that some of the most ultimate gifts come in small packages. (Robb Report‘s comprehensive ultimate guide to holiday giving, which offers over 120 suggestions, can be found at RobbReport.com/HolidayGiftGuide2016.)

The digital edition of Robb Report enables New Year’s Eve partygoers to chart a new course, offering editors’ picks for the most exceptional floating party platforms aboard superyachts. And if you need a chic European retreat for a post–New Year’s detox, RobbReport.com checks in to Europe’s top new suites, which include a lake-view retreat in Italy and a palatial pad in Paris. Robb Report is available as a digital edition for the iPad and iPhone via the iTunes App Store and through Zinio.

For more information, visit RobbReport.com and connect with us on Twitter (@robbreport), Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook.

Tiffany & Co. Launches Video Series on Contemporary Art: New Ways of Seeing

On th eve of the 2016 edition of Art Basel Miami Beach, Tiffany & Co. will present the first of a five-part video series on contemporary art entitled New Ways of Seeing with each remaining video to be released in one-month intervals. Tiffany & Co. commissioned cultural leaders to script videos and examine different compelling art-related topics and is proud to highlight these critics and curators who push the boundaries of convention.

Tiffany & Co. has a long history of supporting the arts, guided by the belief that a successful company has a responsibility to the greater community. Tiffany’s legacy with the arts dates back to its founder, Charles Lewis Tiffany, an original trustee of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and his son Louis Comfort Tiffany, a pioneering designer and jeweler of the American Art Nouveau movement. Tiffany continues its commitment to arts and culture with its support of the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York and its sponsorship of the next three Whitney Biennials through 2021.

The overarching concept for the videos was inspired by the 1972 BBC television series and book entitled Ways of Seeing, which uniquely examined how we look at art and the meaning of imagery through the context in which we view it. Tiffany & Co. has contemporized this discussion and tapped American art critic Jerry Saltz to write and star in the first episode. Saltz titled his three- and-a-half minute video “Art Contains Multitudes;” and it features the renowned critic engaging in insightful yet playful conversation with three contemporary artists. Portrait painter Kehinde Wiley shares his thoughts on how artists can revolutionize perception while artist Shantell Martin describes the simplicity behind her process. Irish artist Oliver Jeffers acknowledges the fine line between creation and destruction.

“The new film series explores how the role of art has evolved alongside our lives, and ideas in the digital world that reflect how we consume information and record our creativity today,” said Frederic Cumenal, Chief Executive Officer, Tiffany & Co. The next episode of New Ways of Seeing is written by performance artist Miranda July and takes a closer look at the debate around what exactly constitutes art.

Tiffany is the internationally renowned jeweler founded in New York in 1837. Through its subsidiaries, Tiffany & Co. manufactures products and operates TIFFANY & CO. retail stores worldwide, and also engages in direct selling through Internet, catalog and business gift operations. For additional information, please visit Tiffany.com

TIFFANY, TIFFANY & CO., and T&CO. are trademarks of Tiffany and Company and its affiliates.

#NewWaysOfSeeing #TiffanyArts @tiffanyandco