How do you make sure the European populace is aware of the new James Bond movie? You smack its image all over alcohol packaging, of course! MGM seems to have figured this principle out for Skyfall, which arrives in theaters overseas October 26 and November 9 in the U.S.
Swiss 007 fans can buy Bond-branded Heineken six- and 12-packs that offer lucky winners a chance to go to its London premiere, while French champagne maker Bollinger recently unveiled a special set marking the 50th anniversary of the Bond franchise.
The impeccably-designed pack includes a bottle of what Bollinger claims to be one of its finest vintages of the past century, La Grande Année 2002, encased in a gun silencer-shaped box. The latest Bond-Bollinger campaign is just one in a long line of partnerships between the two brands, as Bond has sipped on the famous champagne house’s product in a total of five films, including 1973’s Live and Let Die, 1985’s A View to Kill and Skyfall.
“Skyfall” couldn’t have been made without the new partnership between 007 and Heineken
The pairing of Bond and Heineken, however, doesn’t go back quite as far. A $45 million deal between the iconic film franchise and the popular German beer manufacturer was announced just this year, with Heineken replacing Bond’s traditional vodka martini.
Some fans have objected to the Heineken sponsorship, but according to Skyfall star Daniel Craig, the film couldn’t have been made without it. “The great thing is that Bond is a drinker, he always has been,” the actor told the Daily Mail. “It’s part of who he is, rightly or wrongly, you can make your own judgement about it, having a beer is no bad thing. In the movie it just happens to be Heineken.”
