Best of 2021: Business of the Year

As a website that is read by many influential people across the world of drinks [are you sure about this? – Ed], Fake Booze takes its coverage of trade issues very seriously. [sorry… who are you again? Ed]

Kidding! We just make stuff up here like we always do. [that’s more like it – carry on. Ed]

But in spite of that, we know that many of you will still be on tenterhooks to discover the shortlisted candidates for our Business of the Year.

Firstly, we have to say, we covered a LOT of ground here this year. Magazines, film franchises and retailers as well as producers and brand owners were all regularly reported on and analysed in a fair, balanced and intelligent way.

Well, they were all covered anyway. So read on to find out who won and who didn’t. You might even be included. In which case, we’re sorry…

Winner: Business of the Year 2021

Throughout this year, one name just kept cropping up. It started in January, when it released its results in the form of a sea-shanty (which you can even listen to here), continued throughout the spring with plans to go alcohol free and some whisky launches that put it straight into the crucial sub-£30,000 price segment before ending the year with a brand management strategy based on Squid Game and a superb comedy Guinness launch.

Impressively, not all of those are as made-up as they sound. Diageo, we salute you…

Runners-up

There’s nothing magazines like more than writing about other magazines – so no surprise that Decanter featured a fair bit. Sometimes, admittedly, it was for its Megabastard Winecomp Awards (the introduction of Vibranium medals was a positive, the criticism for using ‘fossil fools’ less so). But our favourite story was the appearance of hilarious celebrity interviews. More please!

In terms of retailers, there was an ongoing battle between Marginslasher (which did well in Another Bloody Wine Competition) and Pricefixer which instigated an ambitious scheme to help its buyers tell shampoo from Chardonnay. Both, however, were outshone by Goop, which enhanced its wellness credentials by launching the world’s first Plutonium-free wine.

Talking of explosive nonsense, we were pleased to see Bolli jumping on the Bondwagon (geddit) – though news that 007 (who’s now in double-oh heaven – we’re on fire!) will be drinking sherry not champagne next time out.

If our latest review of the year is reminding you just how much utter balls we’ve churned out for free over the last 12 months, you could support us on Patreon to encourage us to keep going. If you think it’s all crap, don’t bother and eventually we’ll stop.

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