In Shanghai this week, Louis XIII Cognac premiered ‘100 Years’, a new composition by American singer/songwriter Pharrell Williams. That a Cognac house should release a song is noteworthy enough. But the real talking point of the event was that the music will not be aired again until a century from now, in 2117. And even then, it will only be released if mankind has shown it cares enough to have combated climate change.
The song is part of a compelling environmental initiative from the Rémy Cointreau brand, one that carries the appropriate slogan and hashtag, ‘If We Care’.
The original composition highlights Williams’ and Louis XIII’s shared commitment to environmental issues. “Our intent is to inspire, and working with Pharrell Williams on this project felt very natural,” said Louis XIII Global Executive Director Ludovic du Plessis. “Not only is he one of the most talented creative forces in music today, he is one of the world’s strongest, most impactful voices for global climate change, especially the younger generation.”
Williams’ exclusive track was recorded onto a ‘vinyl’ made of clay from the chalky soil of the Cognac region. Played once during the event in Shanghai, the record is now stored in Louis XIII’s cellars in a state-of-the-art safe designed by Fichet-Bauche that is only destructible when submerged in water. Not one of the 100 guests was allowed to record the song, therefore it remains a secret for the next century.
“I love the fact that Louis XIII thinks a century ahead. We should all do the same for the planet.” – Pharrell Williams
Williams, the recipient of ten Grammy Awards and two Academy Award nominations, is a passionate advocate for environmental issues, who continuously urges his audiences to mitigate the effects of global warming.
The song is inspired by the 100 years it takes to craft Louis XIII Cognac, an exceptional, ultra-premium spirit blended from 1,200 eaux-de-vie sourced entirely from Grande Champagne. The Moodie Davitt Report was the sole travel retail media present – and one of 100 chosen global influencers – to preview the composition and the campaign at the event in a secret warehouse venue in Shanghai on 13 November.
The collaboration with Williams represents a creative expression of the delicate relationship between nature and time, and the effect humans have on their environment. It is the second stage of the brand’s ambitious 100-year project. The first came in 2015, when two renowned American creative artists, filmmaker and musician Robert Rodriguez and actor, director, and producer John Malkovich, made a movie called ‘100 Years’. That, too, will not be released for another century, in 2115.
Time to act
“It is a pure call to action,” Eric Vallat, CEO of the House of Rémy Martin told the Moodie Davitt Report. “We live from our terroir and Grande Champagne is the most exclusive liquid of Cognac.
“We inherited it from previous generations and we need to ensure we hand it over to the next. Terroir is absolutely central for us. It gives you a sense of humility because you are dependent on the climate and what it can give you.
“This project is another way for us to raise awareness for something we feel is an important issue. It’s not about making a judgement, it’s more about pointing out that we are optimistic, otherwise we would not think 100 years ahead. We believe the eaux-de-vie we are setting aside now will be there for the next generation. But we believe it’s time to act.”
Only #IFWECARE
Each Louis XIII decanter represents the life achievement of generations of cellarmasters. Thinking a century ahead has been a core tenet of Louis XIII since it was founded in 1874. With this project, Louis XIII and Williams aimed to inspire guests at the launch to take action and, in turn, to motivate others to help curb global warming.
If sea levels continue to rise due to climate change, scientists project that in 100 years an alarming proportion of the world’s land might be underwater.
The only way to guarantee this original piece of music will be heard again in 2117, therefore, is by addressing the catastrophic consequences of global warming.
“If we do not change our way of living, future generations will never be able to hear this song,” was the brand’s stark message.
“I love the fact that Louis XIII thinks a century ahead,” said Pharrell Williams. “We should all do the same for the planet. We have a common interest in preserving nature for the future. Each bottle is the life achievement of generations of men and women. It’s all about legacy and transmission.”
“We are incredibly proud of this innovative project,” added du Plessis. “Nature and time are at the heart of what we do. If the environment is unstable, even the greatest Cellar Master would not be able to compose the exceptional blend that is Louis XIII. Global warming is one of the most important issues of the 21st century; with ‘100 Years’ — The Song We’ll Only Hear If We Care [one of the campaign slogans -Ed], we hope to inspire people around the world to take action.”
The next generation
“We live from the earth and we have inherited these eaux-de-vies from the terroir,” said Vallat. “We need to transmit it to the next generation. We believe this resonates particularly with Millennials; I believe they are less material than we were. They are more interested in brands that share their values and offer a new experience. This is what this project is about.”
Nowhere more so than in China. This week, Jing Daily, the acclaimed publication (with which The Moodie Davitt Report enjoys a close collaboration) dedicated to China’s luxury market, noted environmental concerns and the impact of shopping behaviour as among the key concerns of the evolving Chinese consumer.
After a turbulent period for Cognac, driven by Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s sweeping austerity measures introduced in 2013, the outlook is positive once again and business is growing for Louis XIII, said Vallat. “The category remains healthy in the US and is booming again in China,” he noted. “The prospects are good because we have 60 million households entering into the middle class every year in China, so it’s a world of opportunity.”
The brand is becoming more client-centric, Vallat said. “We craft a great product which we used to sell to distributors. We still do that but we have also noted the importance of going direct to the client. We need to know who the client is and engage with them. This is a key driver for future growth.”
Driving invention in travel retail
Vallat said that the 100 Years campaign will be reflected in travel retail environments as well as local markets. Travel retail is a “fantastic” invention driver for Louis XIII, he said. “It is a luxury brand, and luxury clients travel well. For me, the way you are exposed to a brand is very much about the local city where you are from but also in airports and other travel retail environments. Travel retail is also a driver of our consistency worldwide.”
“Pharrell is an inspiring talent and music is moving, it’s universal. It’s not too far from our universe – sometimes I like to refer to Louis XIII as a symphony” – Eric Vallat
Raising awareness
Following the event in Shanghai, Louis XIII Cognac is launching an international tour in major cities to raise awareness and funds for environmental organisations. A series of charity dinners will provide vital support for those dedicated to curbing climate change on a local level.
“The initiative itself is inspiring,” said Vallat. “We spent a lot of energy in coming up with this project, now the goal for us in the coming months is to spread the word. Pharrell is an inspiring talent and music is moving, it’s universal. It’s not too far from our universe – sometimes I like to refer to LXIII as a symphony,” said Vallat.
“This is not about any one city or country but the future of our planet as a whole” – Ludovic du Plessis
The Rémy Cointreau Group, including Louis XIII, has long been dedicated to curbing global warming. The company joined the United Nations ‘Global Compact’ environmental organisation 14 years ago, and has been a member of the UN’s elite ‘Global Compact‘ (Advanced level) since 2014.
The group is supporting international efforts with its 2020 Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme, within the UN environmental framework. Taking action to help battle climate change is one of the main objectives of the 2020 programme. A key goal is to reduce the group’s greenhouse gases and carbon footprint. Top priorities include sustainable wine-growing practices, energy efficiency, eco-friendly packaging, optimisation of product shipments and forest conservation. Given its niche production, Louis XIII contributes very small CO2 emission levels.
“As a company, we must do the best we can every day to make the world a better place,” said du Plessis. “But no single person or brand can stop global warming on their own – it must come from the unified global actions of all people around the world. Together we are much stronger than any person or brand is on their own. This is not about any one city or country but the future of our planet as a whole. Our concern is not primarily for Cognac, but for every city around the world.”
Thinking – and drinking – a century ahead Each decanter of Louis XIII represents the collective life achievement of generations of Cellar Masters. Since the ultra-premium Cognac’s origins in 1874, each Cellar Master has selected the oldest, best and most precious eaux-de-vie to create the Louis XIII blend. Today, Cellar Master Baptiste Loiseau is maintaining that tradition, creating his own legacy both to his successors and to the consumers of the future. Louis XIII is a blend of up to 1,200 eaux-de-vie sourced 100% from Grande Champagne, the first cru of the Cognac region. The decanters have been made from fine crystal for generations, mouth-blown by skilled master craftsmen. Louis XIII features exceptional aromas evoking myrrh, honey, dried roses, plum, honeysuckle, cigar box, leather, figs, and passion fruit. It is a triumph of time and terroir – and of man’s understanding of both. What better product, then, to underscore an environmental initiative that highlights the role of all three? |
