The Clever Way Jamie Foxx Tested Out His Bourbon Brand
Musicians and actors are no strangers to branching out into the liquor business. Diddy's Ciroc, Dan Akroyd's Crystal Head Vodka, and Snoop Dogg's, well... pretty much everything, may come to mind. Jamie Foxx, on the other hand, has taken the reins at BSB — Brown Sugar Bourbon. In an interview with Insider Hook, Foxx explained his venture into the world of whiskey, and just how he knew BSB was the right move for him. Even though BSB was already in existence when Foxx bought the company, to be sure about making such a big move, he decided to test the market his way.
While many companies will go out and create huge advertising campaigns, Foxx decided the best way to start with BSB was to simply bring some bourbon to a party and see what happened. To his satisfaction, the bottle came back empty with his friends asking for more.
"When I was first introduced to Brown Sugar Bourbon, I said, 'This is the right flavor.' I took a couple of cases and I floated a bottle into the crowd at a party, and the bottle came back empty," Foxx told the outlet. "Friends kept asking me, 'What is this?' And I was like 'BSB!' Someone said, 'You ran out of that sweet stuff, this is BS!' and I said no, 'This is BSB!'" But what is it that makes BSB stand out, besides its well-known owner?
How Brown Sugar Bourbon got its start
In a piece by Forbes, they delve into just what makes this spirit such a hit. Coupled with the personality of Jamie Foxx, Brown Sugar Bourbon (BSB), as the name suggests, differentiates itself from other bourbons with its key ingredient: brown sugar. Back when the brand was owned by, couple Justin and Jennifer Stiefel, they were taste-testing different batches of bourbon. While a lot of companies were experimenting with and putting out all sorts of wild flavored alcohols, Justin came to the realization that he, in fact, does not know anyone who does not like brown sugar.
"This isn't for the drinker who's going to pour it over ice and describe the esoteric nuances of the complex flavors in the glass," Justin explained to the outlet. "It's all about having fun, being relaxed."
After its debut in 2018, BSB, though not your standard bourbon, managed to pick up two consecutive wins at the World Whiskey Awards. If that wasn't enough, the Stiefel family knew they had created something big when the Academy Award winner came knocking about their brand. Lucky for them, they did not tell the "Ray "actor to hit the road, Jack, as Jamie Foxx is now helping BSB become an international hit.