Dive Brief:

• Belvedere Vodka debuted a limited-edition bottle with the help of actor, musician and activist Janelle Monáe, according to a company press release.
• The bottle launch is a continuation of the company's previous collaboration for Monáe​'s "Fem the Future," an initiative around promoting opportunities for those who identify as women through music, arts, mentorship and education.
• After a brunch event last year as part of Fem the Future, Belvedere launched a social media campaign asking fans to visualize how "A Beautiful Future" would look. People responded with "messages of diversity, self-expression, inclusion and empowerment," a select few of which Monáe will read on the company's social and digital channels.

Dive Insight:

Belvedere Vodka's latest campaign weaves together multiple marketing trends in an effort to appear more inclusive and engage with a variety of consumers. The "Beautiful Future" messages are in line with the advertising industry's push for greater diversity and inclusion. Audiences typically favor ads that highlight diversity, but the industry is struggling to attract diverse talents even as major players like Procter & Gamble and Unilever modernize their messaging and campaigns.

The company's decision to work with Monáe, a Grammy-nominated artist who reportedly has identified as pansexual, follows campaigns by Gillette, Pantene and Suave that have emphasized the importance of diversity and inclusion, especially for women, individuals within the LGBTQ community and people of color. It's also a shift away from the brand's previous racy ads that didn't resonate well with consumers.

Going beyond simply using a celebrity to win over potential customers, Belvedere's latest campaign provides a savvy spin on integrating user-generated content (UGC). By collaborating with Monáe on her Fem the Future initiative and having her read user-submitted messages, the brand can utilize a type of content that's been shown to garner stronger engagement than traditional ads.

While the campaign is not the first time a liquor brand has tapped a celebrity of color to market itself to diverse audiences, it's yet another example of a brand reaching out to people in previously underserved groups. Liquor brands continue to partner with diverse influencers, as with Courvoisier Cognac's recent Def Jam Recordings partnership and Grey Goose's collaboration with Jamie Foxx.

Previously, Monáe was tapped by Gap for a 2017 extension of its "Meet Me in the Gap" campaign. The holiday video featured the artist along with six choirs and a collaborative cast of people from different backgrounds.