Beam Global Spirits & Wine Inc. has integrated mobile donations into its new Jim Beam Bourbon campaign to salute the American troops.

The “Salute Soldiers with the Spirit of America” campaign was designed to welcome home the troops returning from tours of duty, support those still overseas and give service members and their friends an enjoyable experience throughout this year. As part of the program, Jim Beam teamed up with military charity Operation Homefront, the organization which will receive the mobile donations.

“The mobile donation is another layer we’ve added to connect with our U.S. target male,” said Kelly Doss, senior director of bourbons  and whiskeys at Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Deerfield, IL. “The contest allows our average ‘Jim’ to easily donate with the tool he uses daily – his mobile phone.”

Beam Global Spirits & Wine is a leading liquor marketer with such brands as Jim Beam Bourbon, Sauza Tequila and Canadian Club Whisky.

Operation Homefront is a nonprofit organization that provides emergency and morale assistance for troops, the families they leave behind and to the wounded when they return home.

Mobilizing the troops
Jim Beam is asking consumers to show their support by texting the keyword SALUTE to the 90999 short code to add $5 to their phone bills as a donation to Operation Homefront.

The donation call-to-action is being promoted by Jim Beam through social media platforms such as Facebook and through point-of-sale materials at off-premise retail locations.

Males over the legal drinking age of 21 are the targeted demographic.

Jim Beam has made a $150,000 donation to Operation Homefront and distributed 50,000 cases of a commemorative Operation Homefront bottle to help raise awareness of the organization.

The contest requires consumers of legal drinking age to nominate service members who are over 21 for a chance to win VIP experiences at a high-profile sporting or music event.

Through June 21, friends and families of the troops can submit nominations of up to 250 words in English at http://www.jimbeam.com or the Jim Beam Facebook fan page at http://www.facebook.com/jimbeam.

The nominations must describe why their friend or family member in the military should be honored by Jim Beam.

The winners and their nominees will receive special treatment and exclusive access to either the Churchill Downs racecourse with a visit to the Jim Beam distillery and a bourbon tasting, the final two days of a major golf championship, a home game for a professional baseball team on Chicago’s South Side on July 10, 2010, or a Kid Rock concert and the opportunity to meet the rocker in 2010.

Virtual respect
Consumers can also share their own virtual toasts and personal messages on the Jim Beam Facebook fan page.

Ms. Doss said the mobile aspect was another way to reach men and promote the partnership with Operation Homefront.

“Men are on their phones everyday and this function provides an easy way to show support for the troops,” Ms. Doss said. “Many want to help and this small act goes very far.

“We’ve found that engaging consumers through texting fosters meaningful dialogue about topics they care about and is extremely successful for us,” she said.