How We Created a Fake Vodka Brand to Promote Our Startup

Re:How We Created a Fake Vodka Brand to Promote Our Startup by columbo on Thursday August 01, 2013 @12:43PM (#6141556)

Like everyone else has mentioned this is a very dangerous move.

The label doesn't look like it includes all of the required information ( http://www.ttb.gov/pdf/brochures/p51902.pdf ).

This could be bad, very bad, if something like this happens ( http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-16742167 ) who is responsible?

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Re:How We Created a Fake Vodka Brand to Promote Our Startup by TwiztidK on Thursday August 01, 2013 @12:56PM (#6141660)

To make it worse, all alcohol labels have to be approved prior to use. The post makes no mention of whether they actually submitted their label for approval, but it may not have been approved within their time frame.

If it weren't approved, every venue their vodka was served at could face penalties, such as having their liquor license suspended or revoked.

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Re:How We Created a Fake Vodka Brand to Promote Our Startup by testing12341234 on Thursday August 01, 2013 @01:24PM (#6141890)

The post makes no mention of whether they actually submitted their label for approval

From the article:

"The problem with this idea was two-fold: one, having previously worked in spirits marketing, I knew that spirits brands' turnaround time was way too long to get approval by February 14th"

Which seems to imply not only that they knew the law, but actively took it in to consideration.

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Re:How We Created a Fake Vodka Brand to Promote Our Startup by corin_ on Thursday August 01, 2013 @01:31PM (#6141950)

Getting approval to partner with a company for marketing purposes is completely different to legal issues that there may or may not be relating to the labeling of drink bottles.

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Re:How We Created a Fake Vodka Brand to Promote Our Startup by drbawb on Thursday August 01, 2013 @01:32PM (#6141954)

I read it as them seeking approval for a sponsorship or promotion of sorts. (" . . . and two, if we used a company’s name to promote ourselves without permission, we could get sued.")

I take that to mean they're talking about the turn-around of the marketing department; not the nuances of alcohol labeling and bottling.

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Re:How We Created a Fake Vodka Brand to Promote Our Startup by jasondenizac on Thursday August 01, 2013 @01:33PM (#6141963)

I'm pretty sure they mean marketing approval, not regulatory approval. Parse before you preach.

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Re:How We Created a Fake Vodka Brand to Promote Our Startup by mbreese on Friday August 02, 2013 @12:30AM (#6145328)

I read it the other (regulatory approval) way the first time too...

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Re:How We Created a Fake Vodka Brand to Promote Our Startup by kevinbracken on Thursday August 01, 2013 @01:00PM (#6141690)

It is worth mentioning, the recipients were all house parties and loft parties, which was our specialty for our previous product - find and discover secret events.

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Re:How We Created a Fake Vodka Brand to Promote Our Startup by kvcrawford on Thursday August 01, 2013 @04:49PM (#6143434)

As a fellow "Kevin," developer, and purveyor of underground parties, my hat's off to you guys!

I signed up for the beta, and I'm looking forward to checking it out. What do you think of listing events in search of a location?

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Re:How We Created a Fake Vodka Brand to Promote Our Startup by kevinbracken on Thursday August 01, 2013 @04:55PM (#6143469)

Thanks, what's up fellow Kevin! That is a really awesome idea actually - will stew over it

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Re:How We Created a Fake Vodka Brand to Promote Our Startup by makerops on Thursday August 01, 2013 @12:58PM (#6141670)

Don't forget possible jail time for the owner.

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Re:How We Created a Fake Vodka Brand to Promote Our Startup by joonix on Thursday August 01, 2013 @01:48PM (#6142052)

I think the actual story itself is fake. Meaning, they didn't actually give anyone any vodka. They just made those bottles and filmed a few friends pretending to pour it at parties to use in their film clip.

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Re:How We Created a Fake Vodka Brand to Promote Our Startup by pallandt on Thursday August 01, 2013 @02:04PM (#6142160)

I'd strongly prefer believing this too, but the part that mentions them receiving 'an email from Mercy Hangover Prevention' and then the picture showing their vodka + the 12-pack of Mercy makes me think the story is real, unless Mercy is owned by friends of theirs.

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