LeBron James drops some dimes for Hennessy Cognacs

ennessy Cognac (LVMH group) has partnered with the US National Basketball Association (NBA) since 2021 but is now taking its commitment a stage further by releasing a limited edition of its VS signed LeBron James. Nicknamed King James, the 39-year-old player is a global basketball superstar. The number 6 Los Angeles Lakers player has lent his crown to Hennessy Cognacs as an endorsement of one of the brand’s most popular products, whose livery now includes the sleeve of a basketball shirt. “I was fortunate enough to visit the Maison in Cognac a while back, and seeing the care and craftsmanship that go into creating each bottle was pretty incredible”, claimed James in a press statement. Photos of his visit are being widely distributed, particularly on social media.

Released exclusively for the American market on September 30, the bottle and its gift box are one of the strands of Hennessy Cognac’s recovery strategy in the US market. The brand’s leading destination saw record sales in 2021-2022 in the post-Covid period but then experienced a scissors effect due to inflation causing sales to decline and distribution-held inventories increase. In its latest half-year report, LVMH commented on the “gradual recovery of Cognac in the United States” but admitted that “distributors were managing inventory levels cautiously” in the American market. It is counting on its “new ‘Made for More’ campaign which will be fully launched over the second half of the year”. One of the campaign’s linchpins is the partnership with LeBron James where emphasis is placed on cocktails as a way of broadening the range of drinking occasions. “Inspired by his recent tasting experience in Cognac where he discovered the versatility of the spirit, James is adding a new touch to the Hennessy Margarita cocktail (featuring Hennessy V.S, lime juice, orange liqueur and agave syrup) by adding orange juice”, explains Antoine Varlet, vice-president United States at Hennessy Cognac.