KRONENBOURG 1664 BLANC WAS LAUNCHED AT G TOWER ON 29 JUNE 2011

kee@fswmag.com

The new Kronenbourg 1664 Blanc is in a blue bottle! IT WAS REVEALED ON 29 JUNE ON 29 FLOOR AMONG MANY 29 YEAR OLDS!

KRONENBOURG 1664 LAUNCHED THE NEW WHEAT BEER CALLED KRONENBOURG 1664 BLANC IN THE PRESENCE OF 400 GUESTS AT VIEW ROOFTOP BAR ON 29 JUNE 2011 ON THE 29 FLOOR OF G TOWER, KUALA LUMPUR'S ONLY 'GREEN' AND ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY HOTEL.

Mime artiste enjoying the newly launched Kronenbourg 1664 Blanc.

Kee Hua Chee's blue bottle of Blanc is more noticeable!

KRONENBOURG 1664 BLANC IS NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH KRONENBOURG 1664 WHICH WAS LAUNCHED LAST DECEMBER 2010. THE DIFFERENCE IS THE BLUE BOTTLE WHICH CONTAINS BLANC THOUGH 'BLANC' MEANS 'WHITE' IN FRENCH WHERE THE BEER ORIGINATES. THE NEW BLANC ALSO HAS THE WORD 'BLANC' RIGHT UPFRONT FOR THE WORLD TO SEE SO YOU KNOW YOU ARE GETTING THIS FAB WHEAT BEER WHICH IS QUITE UNIQUE.

I LIKE THIS BLANC POINT BLANK SO GO FOR IT!

SOREN RAVN, BOSS OF CARLSBERG WHICH OWNS KRONENBOURG, LAUNCHED THE NEW KRONENBOURG 1664 BLANC AND ALSO REVEALED THE NEW INTERACTIVE BARTOP WHICH IS NEARLY 10 FT LONG.

The new interactive touch surface reveals a variety of contents ranging from brand videos, picture galleries, text, images, film animation to games. You can amuse yourself using one hand or two, alone or with other users. Wired-up executives can now unwind with this hightech bartop!

Soren Ravn launching the three and half metre long, interactive bartop table which presumably is waterproof so even if you spill your Blanc, it will not cause a meltdown.

Now the only problem with Kronenbourg 1664 Blanc is its name---it is too long and a chore to pronounce after the first bottle! I tried asking the waiter "Can I have another Kronenbourg 1664 Blanc please' but gave up mid sentence and merely said, "I want one"!

The second woe is the spelling. IN 2008 Brasseries Kronenbourg became 100% owned by Carlsberg but note the different spelling of the last syllable. In Carlsberg, it is spelled as 'berg' but in Kronenbourg it is 'bourg'. Worse, it is often spelled as 'burg', 'borg' or 'burgh'! Luckily all mean the same---medieval village near a castle.

I predict Malaysians will refer to them as 'Kro' and 'Blanc' which means white though the colour is pale yellow and the bottle is blue! Budweiser is always referred to as 'Bud'

Kronenbourg 1664 and Kronenbourg 1664 Blanc are two different beers though they are both positioned at the top and costs around RM 22 to RM 28 per bottle in classy bars and restaurants. It costs RM 20 to RM 25 for half pint and full pint is between RM 30 and RM 40 which is not to be sniffed at. Only the affluent and trendy need apply and only in select outlets can you find these wholesome twosome as they are not available everywhere like Carlsberg or Skol.

This is premier beer and their marketing reminds me of Stella Artois whose slogan in United Kingdom was 'Reassuringly Expensive'! For the first time, an advertising campaign trumpeting its expensive price was released on an astounded public which fell for it hook, line and sinker! Stella Artois was a commercial success and Kro and Blanc are headed that way in Malaysia.

I suggested to York Spencer, marketing director of Carlsberg that Blanc should be targeted at the affluent gay market who need not save for the kids' education or for women. He seemed bemused and nonchalant but marketing manager Teh Chui Hoon almost passed out.

Anyway, Blanc is marketed as the premium, highclass and prestige beer for the affluent drinker as its price sieves out the budget drinker who can enjoy Skol which is actually an excellent beer and really is value for our ringgit.

Kronenbourg 1664 was launched in December 2010 and has enjoyed huge success despite being available at only 70 outlets! This premium beer is growing by 60% annually.

I prefer Blanc to Kro 1664 as it is smoother, more palatable and highly drinkable. It does not make me burp and is easy on my stomach. I never knew a wheat beer can taste so delicious as I always assume beer is made from hops, maize and malted barley. Blanc gushes down my throat like a dream and I also love the fragrance! Blanc is certainly going to be my beer since I am a premium, highclass and prestige person, am I not?

Kronenbourg 1664 Blanc comes inside this slim, sexy blue bottle!

Guests could take their own photos of themselves in a machine as often as they like which are then emailed to their computers!

Feeling like Picasso's Blue Period, I tried a sexy, pouty look which did not quite work out

kee@fswmag.com

Kronenbourg 1664 Blanc was launched by Soren Ravn of Carlsberg and Colin Ng of G Tower

Now with the addition of 2 dancers dressed as the blue bottled Blanc

Yamseng!

This is one MD who drinks his products and with pride

York Spencer, marketing director of Kronenbourg 1664 Blanc can down 2 bottles simultaneously

Having a small, sensitive and tight mouth, I can only shove in one bottle each time.

Kee Hua Chee and Soren Ravn do it one bottle per time

Kee Hua Chee shows his 2 faces

Lee Bee and Ch'ng Huck Teng of CHT Network

Esther Ng and Gabriel Zen

Eliana Efendieva of Russia

Soren Ravn with Kronenbourg 1664 classic in green bottle, the new Blanc is in blue bottle

Datuk Chin, deputy MD of Carlsberg with Felix Yang of Movida

Wei Zhi Chin, Umie and Ivy Chang

Men in hat given by Blanc; James Ooi, Jackie Wong and Arthur Jeng

Kee Hua Chee with friends

Hat on head and beer in hand----what more can a man ask for?

The Blanc party at View Rooftop Bar on 29 floor on 29 June!

I am showing Esther Ng and Gabriel Zen twice as she is so pretty with magnificent mane and we all love looking at pretty girls

She has long hair too!

Twins separated at birth!

Juliet Yap's green bottle seems to fascinate the mannequin

High drama

You can see the base of Eiffel Tower and 1664

Gay Kuijpers and James Birchall were the Best Looking Couple of the night and I was Best Looking Single

Datuk Garry Chua and Aaron Khoo with friends

Sexy beauty queen Cassandra Patrick and model Bee Bee How

Golden cock among the hot chicks

Teh Chui Hoon, Paul Anand and Cassandra

Mime artiste enjoying Blanc!

Dato Steve Day of Vision Four and Patrick McVeigh of Vision Four

Jazzing up the evening

Lethal weapons; Fancy, Sim Hui, Jojo, Grace and Wai Yee

Waiting for a bird of same feather to flock together

Kee Hua Chee enjoing the blues...Blanc in blue bottle ie

I love the delicious, easy to swallow Blanc!

Deborah Loo and Jason Au of Brandthink the media handlers and they know not to ruffle my feathers

Good looks run in this family; Eugene Poo, Venely Poo, Victor Poo and former Miss Malaysia Chermaine Poo

Handsome Eugene Poo and beautiful big sister Chermaine Poo the former Miss Malaysia proving good genes run in the family

Shaun the hair stylist and Gary Wong the actor

A magician making bad feng shui disappear in a mist

Fion Liw and Jennifer Ong of World Asia Publishing

Cheryl Lum of Mandarin Oriental consorting with the enemy Bryan Leong of The Andaman

THE END