Art Fair Season Opens... The Allure of Alcohol Hand in Hand with Art

KIAF x Frieze Seoul 2024 Opens
Pernod Ricard Unveils 'Royal Salute Time Chamber' in Collaboration with British Writer
HiteJinro Also Launches 'Taittinger Artist Collection'
Expanding Consumer Base Through Art Collaborations

The alcoholic beverage industry is strengthening its collaboration with the arts. This strategy actively utilizes the innovation and craftsmanship of various artists in branding to target new consumer groups.

Pernod Ricard Korea (PRK) showcased the top-tier product of its whiskey brand Royal Salute, the "Royal Salute Time Chamber By Conrad Shawcross," at "Kiaf Seoul 2024," the largest domestic art fair held at COEX, Seoul, on the 4th.

This limited edition, created in collaboration with British artist Conrad Shawcross, is a premium 53-year-old whiskey with only 21 pieces available worldwide and just one piece presented domestically. PRK will open the Time Chamber edition to the public from the VIP preview on the 4th until the 8th.

Pernod Ricard Korea 'Royal Salute Time Chamber by Conrad Shockross'

Prior to Royal Salute, on the 2nd, PRK also introduced a limited edition art collection from the champagne brand Perrier-Jou?t, called "The Fleeting Dance Edition." This limited edition champagne, created with Mexican artist Fernando Laposse, includes "The Fleeting Dance," a collectible version of Laposse’s signature work "The Pollination Dance," and the "Perrier-Jou?t Belle Epoque 2008 Jeroboam cuvee." Only 15 sets are released worldwide, with just one set available domestically.

Pernod Ricard Korea 'Perrier-Jou?t The Fleeting Dance'

PRK’s consecutive release of premium limited edition products in collaboration with artists aims to convey the value of their brands to consumers in a new way through the commonalities between alcohol and art. Oh Hyun-jung, Royal Salute brand ambassador, explained, "Alcohol and art may seem like categories that are difficult to connect at first glance, but they share the common pursuit of ‘innovation based on craftsmanship.’ Royal Salute leads innovation in Scotch whisky through craftsmanship and experimental blending, and to communicate this in a new way, we collaborate with art, which symbolizes infinite creativity and innovation."

Since 2022, Royal Salute has been running the "Art of Wonder" project. This project presents the rarest whiskies with the highest age statements in the brand lineup through collaborations with the most outstanding contemporary artists. Following last year’s collaboration with Kate MacGarry, this is the second collaboration. PRK plans to convey the unique values of premium products, such as respect for time and skilled craftsmanship, in innovative and creative ways through this art project.

HiteJinro 'Ttetangjeo Artist Collection'

Besides PRK, various liquor companies are enhancing their brand value through collaborations with the arts, thereby attracting new consumers. HiteJinro will present the champagne brand Taittinger’s Artist Collection at Kiaf Seoul. The "Taittinger Artist Collection" selects works by great 21st-century artists that align with Taittinger’s philosophy and prints them across the entire bottle. Notably, this limited wine is only released in years with exceptional harvests, having been launched 13 times since its first release in 1983 with the 1978 vintage.

Diageo Korea, selected as the official partner of "Frieze 91," the global membership program of the world-renowned art fair "Frieze," hosted a pop-up for the tequila brand Don Julio and operated the exhibition "Love, the Most Ordinary and Special" by model Choi Sora and photographer/branding director couple Ikobe.

Lotte Department Store released the "Don Melcho x Kim Whanki Art Special Edition" in collaboration with the master of Korean contemporary art Kim Whanki, and Vinoparadise unveiled the "Woo Gukwon Edition Wine" in collaboration with artist Woo Gukwon, presenting products in partnership with the art world to commemorate Kiaf Seoul and Frieze Seoul.

Lotte Chilsung 'Henri Matisse Trivento Jazz'

The collaboration between the alcoholic beverage and art industries is seen as an extension of various attempts to attract new consumers in the increasingly unpredictable domestic liquor market. A liquor industry official said, "As the consumer base for imported liquors such as whiskey and wine becomes younger and more diverse compared to the past, traditional forms of promotion are losing effectiveness. We are adopting various methods that can attract the interest of this diversified consumer base."

In particular, the cultural and artistic fields are actively utilized because their inherent creativity and innovation are judged to positively impact product branding and consumer satisfaction. Recently, Lotte Chilsung released "Henri Matisse Trivento Jazz," featuring masterpieces by 20th-century French painter Henri Matisse on the Argentine wine Trivento. A Lotte Chilsung Beverage official explained, "We launched art wine in line with the 'Art+Consumer' trend, which pursues cultural and artistic satisfaction alongside popular consumption activities."