Controversial Watermelon-Flavored Tequila Takes Center Stage in Ongoing Diddy vs. Diageo Lawsuit
(Photo: DeLeon Tequila)
On Wednesday, the New York Supreme Court unsealed documents that revealed new allegations of racism and mismanagement aimed at Diageo by music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs.
The lawsuit first made headlines at the end of May when Combs sued Diageo for typecasting his spirits Ciroc Vodka and DeLeon Tequila as “‘Black brands’ that should be targeted only to ‘urban’ consumers.” Diageo has since denied the claims and cut business ties with Combs.
Music mogul and entrepreneur Sean “Diddy” Combs arrives at the Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas on May 15, 2022. Combs is suing Diageo, saying the spirits company didn’t make promised investments in his vodka and tequila brands and treated them as inferior “urban” brands. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)
Specific instances of alleged racism have now come to light after Judge Joel Cohen released a portion of Combs’ initially redacted complaint.
A major point of contention centers on a proposed watermelon-flavored tequila that Combs repeatedly objected to.
The unsealed lawsuit states: “Diageo showed up in person to Mr. Combs and his team with a developed watermelon-flavored DeLeon Tequila. They did this despite DeLeon not having flavored tequila, Mr. Combs’ consistent objection to adding flavors, and the efforts to educate Diageo about the racial history and connotations relating to watermelon.”
Though Diageo had previously released a “Summer Watermelon” Ciroc Vodka, Combs objected to the introduction of flavored DeLeon Tequila until consumers were better acquainted with the brand.
Since launching in 2003, Ciroc Vodka’s massive lineup of flavored products has included peach, red berry, coconut, mango, honey melon and French vanilla among others. Combs voiced concern in his lawsuit that the first and only flavor proposal for DeLeon was watermelon.
In a statement provided to Rolling Stone, Diageo claims that the comparison was made in bad faith.
“Mr. Combs supported, publicly endorsed for several years, and benefited financially from the success of Ciroc Summer Watermelon. His attempt to recast follow-up discussions regarding innovations for DeLeon is, as is his entire suit, disingenuous and self-serving.”
Combs’ lawsuit also cites a number of incidents in which Diageo allegedly damaged the brand without his input. Combs says that the company discontinued popular 375-milliliter “half-bottles”, launched a product redesign without marketing support and penned a clerical error that led a shipment of DeLeon Tequila to be destroyed at the US-Mexico border.
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