????艾維龍舌蘭酒于2010年7月正式推出，但很快就引起一些主流烈酒制造商的興趣。2011年，保樂力加集團收購了艾維烈酒合資公司的少數股權。其他的早期投資者包括美國在線公司(AOL)首席執行官蒂姆?阿姆斯特朗和YouTube聯合創始人查德?赫爾利。

????“我是艾維公司的早期投資人之一，這樣做有兩個原因——領導團隊，以及創新性地利用媒體來打造一個全球性品牌這種做法，”阿姆斯特朗在發給《財富》的一封電子郵件中寫道。 “我把艾維視為烈酒領域的紅牛 (Red Bull) 。”

????家庭影院電視臺(HBO)劇集《明星伙伴》(Entourage) 的熱播，讓這一品牌的知名度獲得免費提升。由于奧斯汀與《明星伙伴》創作者道格?葉林是好朋友，這款植入式廣告是免費的，但鑒于一些消費者認為它是虛構品牌，這種宣傳也造成了一些問題。

????不斷增長的銷量表明，艾維是實打實的烈酒品牌。自推出以來，這款龍舌蘭酒的銷量一直以兩位數到三位數的增速急劇攀升。奧斯汀說，艾維是世界上增長最快的高端龍舌蘭酒。

????隨著艾維、Patron和其他制造商更專注于龍舌蘭的質量和蒸餾過程，龍舌蘭酒市場呈現出一派蓬勃發展的景象，美國消費者對這種烈酒的興趣與日俱增。作為該公司成立25年以來規模最大的產品發布活動的組成部分，Patron今年將推出一個高價龍舌蘭酒系列。賈斯汀?汀布萊克、喬治?克魯尼和說唱歌手吹牛老爹也紛紛加入龍舌蘭酒的投資人行列。在過去十年，高端龍舌蘭酒市場見證了有史以來增速最快的一段時期。

????一瓶艾維龍舌蘭酒的售價通常在40到60美元之間，所以它被視為高價烈酒，但奧斯汀堅稱，它是“買得起的奢侈品”，消費者完全能夠承受這種價位。

????雖然艾維主要面向25至40歲之間的消費群體，但奧斯汀堅稱，這款龍舌蘭酒具有廣泛的吸引力。

????“如果你21歲，而且長著一張嘴，我也會對你感興趣的，”奧斯汀說。（財富中文網）

????譯者：葉寒

????Avion was launched in July 2010 but quickly generated interest from some major alcoholic beverage makers. Pernod Ricard acquired a minority stake of the Avion Spirits joint venture in 2011. Other early investors included AOL Chief Executive Tim Armstrong and YouTube co-founder Chad Hurley.

????“I was an early investor in Avion for two reasons – the leadership team and the innovative use of media to build a global brand,” Armstrong said in an e-mail toFortune. “I looked at Avion as the Red Bull of spirits.”

????The brand got a free boost of publicity, as it was featured series plotline in the hit HBO show “Entourage.” That product placement was free, due to a friendship between Austin and “Entourage” creator Doug Ellin, though the publicity created some problems as some consumers thought the brand wasn’t real.

????Avion’s sales growth suggests it is the real deal. Sales have climbed in the high double- to triple-digits since launch, and Austin says it is the fastest growing ultrapremium tequila in the world.

????At stake is a booming tequila market that has seen rapid consumer interest in the U.S. as Avion, Patron and other manufacturers focus more on the quality of the agave and the distillation process. Patron this year is launching a line of pricey drinks as part of the largest product launch in the company’s 25-year history. Justin Timberlake, George Clooney and Sean “Diddy” Combs have all jumped on the tequila bandwagon. The growth over the past decade has been strongest on the higher end.

????Avion generally sells for between $40 to $60 a bottle, so it is considered a premium-priced spirit, though Austin says the price is an “affordable luxury” for consumers.

????And while Avion’s prime audience is generally between the ages of 25 to 40, Austin said the tequila has broad appeal.

????“If they are 21 and they have a mouth, I’m interested in them,” Austin said.