I JUST GOT THIS EMAIL FROM PERNOD RICARD - ABSOLUT

Gogo

I just received this email response from Pernod Ricarad, the French Company that will be acquiring Absolut:

Dear xxxxx,

We, as Pernod Ricard, were also shocked and have immediatly asked V&S to stop this ad although we are still not owners ....

We will only be officially in charge after the closing, some time during next summer ...

But I hope V&S has followed our instructions and removed this shocking ad ...

Denis FIEVET
Directeur Communication Financière
et Relations Investisseurs
Vice President Financial Communication
and Investor Relations
Tel: 00 33 (0)1 41 00 42 02
Fax: 00 33 (0)1 41 00 42 32

Catherine SERVIER
Investor Relations
Assistant to Denis FIEVET
Tel 01 41 00 41 71
Fax 01 41 00 42 32

miguelina · ALIPAC Super Hero Joined: Oct 01, 2007 Posts: 7412

Good for Pernod! I still say we boycott Absolut & co-brands as long as V&S are their owners. Let their stock take a beating!

April · ALIPAC Executive Officer Joined: Dec 07, 2006 Posts: 21778

Glad that he sees it as shocking and that it should be removed immediately! This whole thing is absolut insanity!!!
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Running FULL FORCE AGAINST AMNESTY for ILLEGALS!!!!

Gogo · Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 10:30 am Post subject:

PhredE · Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 10:31 am Post subject:

The change of ownership does present a rather strange and ironic twist to all this...

I think in terms of chasing the 'chain of responsibility' that proportionate blame should flow as follows:

1. Local Ad group in Mexico City (GrupoGallegos?, right?)
2. V&S Corporate in Sweden
:
Pernod Ricard - Actually, since there are lots of bureaucratic hurdles in multinational business transactions (and a big time lag as a necessary result), they have essentially 0 responsibility in this. If anything, they probably want to show that they are doing the 'right thing' and to distance themselves from V&S and the local Mexico group as much as possible.

IMHO - Punish V&S and the Mexico-based distributors/advertisers, but don't boycott once Pernod Ricard completes the transaction (assuming, of course, they show a pattern of trying to correct these problems as timely and as constructively as is possible).
_________________
"If my family wasn’t safe, what makes you think yours will be?"
-Danielle Bologna (whose husband and sons were murdered by felon, gang member, illegal alien, Salvadoran Edwin Ramos)

Gogo · Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 10:33 am Post subject:

April · ALIPAC Executive Officer Joined: Dec 07, 2006 Posts: 21778

PhredE · Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 10:36 am Post subject:

Gogo - Don't know about the stock situation (we could look that up in a bit)...but, they were "privately owned" by the Swedish government prior to the sale.

The finalization of the sale will take another 3 months or so at the least, so there is a time window between now and when full control/ownership takes place for Pernod. I think it's great to push the price down in the meantime - if it'll punish V&S and not necessarily hurt Pernod Ricard.
_________________
"If my family wasn’t safe, what makes you think yours will be?"
-Danielle Bologna (whose husband and sons were murdered by felon, gang member, illegal alien, Salvadoran Edwin Ramos)

tencz57 · Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 10:37 am Post subject:

V&S did Pernod real dirty imo . Think some heads will roll ? THEY BETTER..
1 more thought . On their stock taking a hit . I don't think so . Why ? Cause someone like George Soro's will back it up imo
_________________
Nam vet 1967/1970 Skull & Bones can KMA .Bless our Brothers that gave their all ..It also gives me the right to Vote for Chuck Baldwin 2008 POTUS . NOW or never

miguelina · ALIPAC Super Hero Joined: Oct 01, 2007 Posts: 7412

Melissa · ALIPAC Activist 2 Joined: Jan 09, 2005 Posts: 282

I think we've got to boycott even if there are new owners to let other companies know its not okay to do that kind of anti-American advertising. If the French company really cared then they would back out of the deal due to the tarished image it now has (I would).

I think Absolut should show they are not anti-American by sponsoring an Alipac rally or event. Companies sponsor La Raza all the time - it's time they start sponsoring pro-American groups.

Bowman · Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 10:54 am Post subject:

Actually Pernod could back out of the deal over this if they wanted to, since it will cause V&S to be worth a lot less than what was originally estimated.

Also notice Pernod calls the ad "shocking", why doesn't Absolut say that in their "apologies"?

April · ALIPAC Executive Officer Joined: Dec 07, 2006 Posts: 21778

Boycott has been launched!!! Very Happy

http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-111039.html
_________________

Running FULL FORCE AGAINST AMNESTY for ILLEGALS!!!!

Melissa · ALIPAC Activist 2 Joined: Jan 09, 2005 Posts: 282

Gogo,

What is the email address for Pernod Ricarad, the French Company that will be acquiring Absolut? I want to send them an email and tell them not to buy the company. Wouldn't that be great if they did that? That would really send a message!

Gogo · Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 12:26 pm Post subject:

tencz57 · Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 12:31 pm Post subject:

Gogo · Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 12:36 pm Post subject:

Here's the email address that I used:

investor.relations@pernod-ricard.com

ArticleIV · ALIPAC Titan Joined: Apr 24, 2006 Posts: 619

They have Jamesons in their product line. It will be a sad day for me to let that one go, but if they close the sale, I am out. What a bummer, but God, Family, and Country come first!!

ArticleIV · ALIPAC Titan Joined: Apr 24, 2006 Posts: 619

Melissa · ALIPAC Activist 2 Joined: Jan 09, 2005 Posts: 282

Here is my email to the French company that is buying Absolut. Please send an email also!

Dear Sirs and Madams,

We, in America, think Absolut sucks and I would recommend that you back out of the deal of buying the company while you still can. I know you don't own the company yet but you would have to make BIG amends to the American public before we'll buy the Absolut products again. Can you imagine if England ran an ad implying that half of France actually belonged to England? How would you feel?

There is already a website boycotting the Absolut products with over 100 organizations backing the boycott http://www.boycottabsolut.com/

Again, if I were in your shoes I'd back out of the deal as you are getting into a really sticky situation.

ArticleIV · ALIPAC Titan Joined: Apr 24, 2006 Posts: 619

That was really nice Melissa!! Kudos to you!

ArticleIV · ALIPAC Titan Joined: Apr 24, 2006 Posts: 619

My letter to them....

To whom it may concern,

I am not an investor in your company nor am I a patron of Absolut products. However, I absolutely admire what your company has done with itself and as a capitolist and investor residing in the United States I can find great appreciation with what you have accomplished.

I am a huge Jameson fan and find this beverage to be on your product line. I am only one customer, but I must tell you that if your company closes the deal with Absolut that I will not drink your products again. I am very very disheartened by the Aztlan map used in an advertisement to sell Absolut to Mexcan residents. That was not a map of the era in the early 1800's. The countries listed on it do not coincide with that time in history.

No matter what excuse Absolut uses, their blatant attempt to pander to the Reconquistas was a political statement.

Sincerely,

A Jamesons Fan!!

Gogo · Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 9:53 pm Post subject:

Nice respectful letter.

AirborneSapper7 · Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 10:56 am Post subject:

Thank you for your email.

We appreciate that you contact us to share your opinion. At ABSOLUT we are used to active reactions to our advertising, and we want our consumers to share their opinion - positive or negative. We have a policy to always reply to all emails individually, but due to the large amount of emails concerning the In an ABSOLUT World Mexico ad, we are unfortunately not able to answer all emails individually at this moment.

We acknowledge the reactions and debate and want to apologize for the concerns this ad caused. We are truly sorry and understand that the ad has offended many persons. This was not our intention.

The ad has been withdrawn as of Friday April 4th and will not be used in the future.

In no way was the ad meant to offend or disparage, or advocate an al! tering of borders, lend support to any anti-American sentiment, or to reflect immigration issues.

To ensure that we avoid future similar mistakes, we are adjusting our internal advertising approval process for ads that are developed in local markets.

Again, we are very sorry that we cannot reply to your email, if you want to continue the discussion and share your opinion with us and others, please go to our blog www.absolut.com/iaaw/blog

Our sincere apologies,

Paula Eriksson

VP, Corporate Communication

On behalf of;

V & S Absolut Spirits
_________________
I'm a Conservative ~ "BOO" and According to Obama and Napolitano I am (AKA) the "Boogieman"

Gogo · Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 11:31 am Post subject:

Well V & S is behind the 8 ball right now. I got this from Pernod Ricard this morning:

Dear xxxxxxx,
This new message is the official message of Pernod Ricard I should have sent to your email :

We have received several messages from American consumers regarding an Absolut advertisement published in Mexico showing a map with altered American and Mexican borders.

Pernod Ricard is not yet the owner of Absolut and has no involvement in the management of the brand. The acquisition is expected to close during the summer 2008.

Nevertheless, we understand that this advertisement has caused offence and we have passed your comments on to V&S, the Swedish owner of Absolut. They have informed us that the advertisement in question was withdrawn on 4th April and will not be used again.

Please rest assured that your comments are valuable to us and we have taken them on board. Pernod Ricard has a strict internal code of ethics which all our advertisements are checked against.

As soon as Pernod Ricard becomes responsible for Absolut we will integrate its advertising into our approval system to ensure that such matters are arrested prior to causing any offence.

Kind regards

And this was my reply:

Thank you for your timely reply. I feel reassured that Pernod Ricard holds to a higher standard of advertising than V&S.

I will say however, that an official boycott of V & S products was launched yesterday in the US and until Pernod Ricard takes the business over, I will participate in the boycott and ask others to do so. Unfortunately for Pernod Ricard you have been caught in a very untenable position right now. Thank you for contacting Absolut and telling them of your concern.