Scott didn’t need a deluge of videos and memes to duplicate White Claw’s popularity. On his own, he is already a viral phenomenon. His Reese’s Puffs sold out in 30 seconds, his Nikes average 370 percent above retail, and some chains ran out of the components for his unique McDonald’s meal due to the high demand for it. It’s not just him: Celebrities have begun blending into the actual world via items, much like they have into our digital life. Celebrity product alliances have grown quickly, as if to mirror our fickle attention spans. And on the front lines is Travis Scott, who has signed almost 20 brand partnerships since 2014.
His foray into the alcohol industry, in particular, fits neatly into a lengthy tradition of rappers big-upping alcoholic beverage firms. While MCs have long mentioned their preferred beverages for effect and narrative reasons, the ultimate flex may be making money off of their rhymes. Through more than three decades of evolution—from unpaid promotion to compensated endorsement, partnership, and ownership—Scott was able to capitalize on his own virality and enjoyment of a good buzz. The ties between rap and alcohol are depicted in the chronology that follows.
Young malt liquor company St. Ides is the first of its kind to launch an ad campaign centered on hip-hop. DJ Pooh, a West Coast producer, would become the company’s creative director by the 1990s.
St. Ides’ hip-hop campaign comes to an end after a long run of rap advertisements that featured cameos and original music by notable members of the genre, including Notorious B.I.G., Eric B & Rakim, Snoop Dogg, Wu-Tang Clan, Ice Cube, EPMD, and more. Despite the success of the campaign, there was opposition. Chuck D of Public Enemy bemoaned the widespread use of malt liquor in Black areas in the song “One Million Bottlebags” and later sued St. Ides’ parent corporation for utilizing his voice in an advertisement without his consent. As it did when it was sued by the New York State Attorney General’s Office for using their advertisements to target minors of color, the corporation reached a settlement with Chuck D.
By the early 2000s, mainstream hip-hop was transitioning from a gritty to a glamorous image. Pass the Courvoisier and Pass the Courvoisier Part II are two albums by Busta Rhymes released in 2002. (featuring Pharrell and Diddy). Sales of the premium cognac brand increased as a result. Busta didn’t start getting paid to promote Courvoisier until after the song gave them a boost, claims a representative. Rappers on the Roc-A-Fella roster start to work on incorporating Armadale Vodka into their music around the same time as the Roc bought the alcoholic beverage brand. Kareem “Biggs Burke, a Roc CEO alongside Jay-Z and Damon Dash, said, “We’ve made a lot of money for a lot of companies throughout the years. We can enrich ourselves by growing our enterprises because we have such power. No more Cristal Champagne or Belvedere Vodka in our music or videos. By the middle of the 2000s, Armadale’s clamor subsided.
When the general director of the company, Frederic Rouzaud, makes critical remarks about rappers displaying the drink in music videos, Jay-contempt Z’s for Cristal Champagne is further solidified. What can we do?” Rouzaud asked. “We are unable to prohibit purchases of it. Since at least 1994, Jay-Z has been consuming Cristal in public. However, in response to Rouzaud’s comments, he now included Armand de Brignac champagne, also referred to as Ace of Spades, in the “Show Me What You Got” music video (reportedly earning dollars and equity in the brand). The least expensive version of the flagship champagne cost just under $300.
With an equal-share agreement with the vodka brand, Diddy successfully fends off a celebrity endorsement deal from Ciroc. He would serve as manager and chief marketing officer, with his own marketing firm, Blue Flame, in charge. In his time with the company, Ciroc’s sales have increased from 40,000 cases annually in 2007 to 1.8 million cases sold in 2019. He works relentlessly to market the brand.
When booze manufacturer Bacardi introduces the cognac D’uss, Jay-Z heavily advertises the brand as a “partner. In 2012, he made appearances at exclusive launch parties and a backstage activation during Justin Timberlake’s Legends of the Summer tour. With the On the Run and Magna Carter tours, they engage in more public outreach. By December 2013, Jay starts rapping on Beyonc’s album about D’uss “Drake and Lil Wayne are two examples of non-D’uss artists that are following Drunk in Love’s lead. Nearly 200,000 cases of the cognac are sold each year at an average price of $60 per bottle, and the company has expanded by about 80% each year.
Rap and alcohol have both had a tremendous year. Nas begins a multi-year commercial partnership with Hennessy, a brand he had been rapping about since his own breakthrough almost two decades before. Hennessy is a rival to D’uss. Meanwhile, E-40 introduces Earl Stevens Selections, his own brand of sweet wines, to great success in Northern California, and Nicki Minaj becomes a co-owner and spokesman for Myx Fusions Moscato. The second and third lines follow a surge in Moscato sales.
In September, Drake will introduce Virginia Black Decadent American Whiskey, smashing sales records for a single day in Ontario. The whiskey is still being sold for about $40. Three years later, the self-styled Champagne Papi released a brand of sparkling wine (naturally). Liquor distributors are accused in a lawsuit of conspiring to bring it down.
Travis Scott’s Cacti agave-spiked seltzer will hit shelves in March 2021, according to a press release from December. The taste, packaging, and marketing, according to Scott, were worked on by a team: “I am quite proud of and have worked very hard on Cacti.
According to a song by Jay, “I’m 50% of D’uss and it’s debt-free / 100% of Ace of Spades, worth half a B. He took advantage of the second provision in February 2021 by selling 50% of Ace of Spades to the fashion and booze conglomerate LVMH Mot Hennessy. Naturally, the agreement’s details were kept confidential. Travis Scott enters the alcohol industry just as Hov steps away: Cacti is set for release in March.
When was Cacti released by Travis Scott?
Despite having no merchandise, Cacti’s website is still operational, but neither their YouTube channel nor their Twitter account are currently functioning.
When Cacti was introduced in 2021, stockists reported “great sales,” according to Michel Doukeris, CEO of Anheuser-Busch.
In March 2021, Doukeris said that “a number of [retailers] are reporting that they have never seen anything like this before: sold out in a single day.
Cactus is it a limited edition?
The limited-edition Strawberry cans that Travis Scott’s design team, Cactus Jack, used for the autographed Cacti cans include a unique Astroworld-themed wrap. Fans can locate the cans in nine-count variety packs of Cacti in unidentified stores all around the country.
Try your luck by ordering a nine-count variety pack from Drizly, Target, Total Wine & More, or your neighborhood supermarket through Instacart here.
When Cacti Agave Spiked Seltzer was first introduced in March 2021, it was completely gone from shops and online in less than a day.
How is Seltzer the cacti doing?
Anheuser-Busch stated on Friday that it will no longer sell Travis Scott’s Cacti line of hard seltzers, breaking their connection with the musician less than a year after the Astroworld tragedy.
“We have made the decision to halt all CACTI Agave Spiked Seltzer production and brand development following thorough consideration. The beverage manufacturer issued a statement on Friday saying, “We think brand followers will comprehend and support this decision.”
Although Anheuser-Busch did not expressly mention the Astroworld disaster as the cause of the hard seltzer line’s discontinuation, it wasn’t because of low sales: When Cacti first hit the market in March 2021, it instantly sold out online, and retailers had trouble keeping the product in stock. “Many of them claim to have never witnessed anything like it: sold out in a single day, CEO Michel Doukeris said at the time, according to CNBC.
What type of booze is in cacti?
CACTI is infused with 100% premium blue agave from Mexico because Travis enjoys tequila. Additionally, it provides a somewhat greater alcohol-by-volume (ABV) than the majority of seltzers on the market (CACTI comes in at 7 percent while brands like White Claw or Truly are both 5 percent ABV).
Is Cacti being phased out?
After the tragedy at Astroworld, Travis Scott’s Cacti Hard Seltzer has been discontinued. The rapper’s debut into the beverage industry was the Cacti hard seltzer line. However, the brand has been discontinued as a result of the catastrophe at his 2021 Astroworld music extravaganza.
Astroworld: Is it a snare?
The name of the album is a reference to the now-defunct Six Flags AstroWorld amusement park, which was formerly situated in Houston, Texas. Scott, a native of Houston, wanted the album to have the effect of “remov[ing] children from an amusement park.” He added that it was a continuation of his first record, Rodeo (2015). Hip-hop and psychedelic rap album Astroworld also features trap and psychedelic music influences. Four singles—”Butterfly Effect,” “Sicko Mode,” “Yosemite,” and “Wake Up”—were released to promote the album.
With 537,000 album-equivalent units, of which 270,000 were pure sales, Astroworld debuted at the top of the US Billboard 200 and got great praise. It also did well commercially. The Recording Industry Association of America awarded it triple platinum certification (RIAA). At the 2019 BET Hip Hop Awards, it was named Album of the Year. Numerous publications listed the album as one of the top albums of 2018 and the previous ten years.
Cacti are they successful?
With a larger market share than both VIZZY and Coors, Travis Scott’s spiked seltzer brand CACTI is already off to a strong start in terms of sales.
CACTI entered the top 5 of the seltzer category in sales just over two weeks after the brand’s introduction, capturing a 3.2 percent marketshare. This indicates that Mike’s Hard Lemonade Seltzer and other well-known brands were outperformed by La Flame’s new alcoholic beverage. The CACTI Variety Pack outperformed the White Claw Hard Seltzer Variety Pack No. 2, Coors Seltzer With a Mission, and Mike’s Hard Lemonade Seltzer Variety Pack just in the first week.
Travis Scott issued a statement saying, “I just want to say thank you to all the fans and supporters for coming out and helping to make the CACTI launch such a success. “As we strategize what’s next for the brand, the response to the product has inspired the team and me to work even harder. We have only just begun.
On March 15, CACTI made its debut on a national scale. It comes in three flavors: lime, pineapple, and strawberry. CACTI has a higher alcohol content (7%) than the bulk of commercially available seltzers. The seltzer, which is made entirely from blue agave from Mexico, is already proving to be very popular with Travis Scott’s admirers over the age of 21. Given the early success, it is obvious that Anheuser-Busch and Scott will seek to grow their collaboration in the future.
Does cacti seltzer contain tequila?
NEW YORKAs a founder with America’s top brewer, Anheuser-Busch, Diamond certified recording artist, songwriter, producer, fashion mogul, and all-around creative dynamo Travis Scott is poised to introduce his newest venture CACTITM Agave Spiked Seltzer nationally tomorrow. The future of the seltzer category is CACTITM Agave Spiked Seltzer, which was first introduced in December. The 100% premium blue agave from Mexico used to make the 7 percent ABV seltzer will come in three varieties at first: pineapple, strawberry, and lime.
Earlier this evening, Scott presented a new TV commercial during the 2021 GRAMMY Awards, introducing fans to the world of CACTITM for the first time. The commercial tells the magical history of how CACTITM first came to be, and it was created by Scott with his unmatched creative vision. From there, it follows the delivery of CACTITM Agave Spiked Seltzer to a nearby store for everyone (21+) to enjoy. Eric Andre, a comedian and actor, as well as Travis Scott himself, make cameo appearances in the commercial, which was directed by Trey Edward Shults. Fans may view the entire commercial right here.
It’s a weird time for me and the team to finally release CACTI into the world and into the hands of the fans, said Travis Scott. “I’ve had a clear vision for this and have wanted to do it for a time. Being intimately involved in every aspect of the creative process was crucial to me, from the flavor, obviously, to the can design, packaging, and the complete brand universe we’ve created. I wanted to develop a beverage brand that stood out from the competition. Our agave-infused seltzer is incredibly smooth and pleasant, and I’m quite proud of the company as a whole. Together, we started this project from scratch, and this is only the beginning.
Alongside the senior team at Anheuser-Busch, Scott and his Cactus Jack creative collective built the CACTITM brand from the bottom up. With the introduction of CACTITM, two renowned inventors have rethought not just what a conventional partnership may entail but also what the future of the seltzer category might hold.
This is a genuine cooperation, not a one-time or limited-edition project. Travis’ entry into the beverage market with CACTITM symbolizes a long-term goal for all stakeholders as they work to transform the beverage sector.
According to Michel Doukeris, CEO of Anheuser-Busch, “Travis’ creative vision combined with our industry-leading skills has unleashed something really remarkable. “Travis is a contender in today’s pop culture landscape who provides unmatched influence among adult consumers. We’re a corporation built on great ideas. Anheuser-Busch led the industry in innovations in 2020, and with the release of CACTI and our partnership with Travis Scott, we intend to maintain that trend into 2021 and beyond.
The rich fruit flavor and usage of 100% quality blue agave from Mexico in CACTITM Agave Spiked Seltzer, which is brewed in Los Angeles, set it apart from other products on the market right now. In addition to 16oz and 25oz singles sold in Lime and Pineapple, CACTITM is offered nationwide in 12oz cans packaged in a 9-count Variety Pack containing the flavors Lime, Pineapple, and Strawberry. Water, cold-fermented cane sugar, agave syrup, and a trace of lime juice are the ingredients used to make CACTITM. Tequila is not present in it.
Follow the company on Instagram, Twitter, and the website to learn more about the CACTI universe.
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