Belvedere Heads Downtown, Kicks Grey Goose's Uptown Ass

It must suck being a premium vodka maker when you're not one of the two or three brands that, for whatever unknown reason, seem to take off and get adopted by those enjoy emptying their wallet just to get drunk. While Grey Goose sold 700,000 cases in 2006, Belvedere sold just 380,000.

In a new $20 million Berlin Cameron-created campaign, Belvedere is crashing the party with ads featuring Vincent Gallo and his posse literally crashes uptown parties with downtown attitude. There's also a Terry Richardson-shot print campaign with lots of red lipstick and provocative stares.

Spirits consultant Arthur Shapiro nails it when he tells Advertising Age, "One way to stand out at a crowded party is to put a lampshade on your head. IIt doesn't necessarily make a good impression, but it does make one."

Hmm. Let's see. Associate yourself with the village idiot, class clown, arty hipster poser. Yup. no doubt, sales are destined to spike.