Sam Cougar
Encyclopedia
Cougar bourbon whiskey
, formerly called Sam Cougar's, is a brand of bourbon whiskey produced in Lawrenceburg, Indiana
, U.S.A. It is an export-only brand owned by Foster's
that is bottled and sold in Australia and New Zealand
, where it is a popular bourbon whiskey. It is sold at 37% alc./vol
.
That said, the ad went on to achieve iconic status in Australian pop culture at the time. It was referenced on countless TV and radio shows as well as being the subject of numerous skits on the comedy show "Full Frontal" every week for 3 months.
The ad also delivered what ads like that are designed to deliver - higher brand awareness and higher sales. Sales jumped 34% and brand awareness jumped 63%. The ad to this day is one of the most remembered and effective ads ever aired in the beverage space in Australia and is arguably one of the most remembered ads in modern day Australian television.
Bourbon whiskey
Bourbon is a type of American whiskey – a barrel-aged distilled spirit made primarily from corn. The name of the spirit derives from its historical association with an area known as Old Bourbon, around what is now Bourbon County, Kentucky . It has been produced since the 18th century...
, formerly called Sam Cougar's, is a brand of bourbon whiskey produced in Lawrenceburg, Indiana
Lawrenceburg, Indiana
Lawrenceburg is a city in Dearborn County, Indiana, United States. The population was 5,042 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Dearborn County...
, U.S.A. It is an export-only brand owned by Foster's
Foster's Group
Foster's Group is a beer group with interests in brewing and soft drinks. Foster's Group is the brewer of the Foster's Lager. Foster's Group Limited is a publicly-listed company on the Australian Securities Exchange and is based in Melbourne, Victoria...
that is bottled and sold in Australia and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, where it is a popular bourbon whiskey. It is sold at 37% alc./vol
Alcohol by volume
Alcohol by volume is a standard measure of how much alcohol is contained in an alcoholic beverage .The ABV standard is used worldwide....
.
Advertising campaign details
Cougar is remembered for its advertising campaign "Five Cougars Thanks!!" This ad was created in conjunction with an external marketing agency and managed internally at Foster's by Bettina Freshney, now widely acknowledged as a leader in the beverage marketing area and the Marketing Manager at the time. Ms Freshney subsequently went on to work in the USA, running Foster's Wine Estates Innovation Division. The ad showed a male standing in line at a club trying to remember the drinks he was to order... saying the five drinks over and over to himself. When he gets to the bar a large breasted barmaid with a COUGAR BOURBON tank top on asks for his order. He is so dazzled by her "top" that he orders "Five Cougars Thanks". Later that year there was a sequel to this ad where upon entering the pub a male is told by his mates to get a "Cougar with a Slice of Lemon". The barmaid has to stretch up high and bend low and the guy sees her underwear and cleavage. This advertising soon led to some bad press where female bar staff were tired of "every male" asking for '5 Cougars' that they didn't want. The ad was also criticised for its apparent sexism in general.That said, the ad went on to achieve iconic status in Australian pop culture at the time. It was referenced on countless TV and radio shows as well as being the subject of numerous skits on the comedy show "Full Frontal" every week for 3 months.
The ad also delivered what ads like that are designed to deliver - higher brand awareness and higher sales. Sales jumped 34% and brand awareness jumped 63%. The ad to this day is one of the most remembered and effective ads ever aired in the beverage space in Australia and is arguably one of the most remembered ads in modern day Australian television.