“That’s tequila!”
Such was one woman’s response to receiving a mouth/face full of tequila from a water fountain at the Hollywood & Highland Center at noontime on Monday, courtesy of Jose Cuervo.
“That’s tequila!” #h2cuervo pic.twitter.com/eV0APsC3Tt
— Sam Reed (@HereReedThis) July 24, 2017
Yes, in honor of National Tequila Day (July 24), the brand replaced good ‘ol H2O with what they call #H2Cuervo — Jose Cuervo Silver — at three different water fountains throughout Los Angeles, including West Hollywood’s The Abbey and the Venice Boardwalk. For thirsty tequila enthusiasts over the age of 21, the silver was available for free (!) between noon and 6 p.m.
“While other tequila brands focus on refinement and conformity, Jose Cuervo encourages all to fight the bland, live lively and embrace the now — because tomorrow is overrated,” said a release for the event.
Before you get too excited, you should know that there were plenty of precautions in place — liability waivers, security guards and an I.D. check with wristbands — before you were allowed to get in line behind the velvet rope, where the wait was about 10-15 minutes for the better part of the hour between noon and 1 p.m.
Cabo spring break, this was not.
After waiting in line, the process of tasting the tequila was pretty quick: A Cuervo employee operated the lever (probably a smart move), while thirsty participants lapped up the free booze. As with any water fountain, the experience was a splashy mess and dangerous (not to mention, painful) when accidentally inhaled. Salt and lime were not included.
The crowd was equal parts curious tourists, who wandered in via Hollywood Boulevard, and local Angelenos taking a tasty respite from work or running errands who decided to relieve a little stress on Jose Cuervo’s dime. For an event with free tequila, the scene was relatively tame, but perfect for social media.
Sadly I don’t have a video of my own @JoseCuervo sip, but my reaction was pretty much the same as this guy’s #h2cuervo #NationalTequilaDay pic.twitter.com/9lcPP4kbFw
— Sam Reed (@HereReedThis) July 24, 2017
“I was just picking something up and I saw the tequila sign, so I had to come,” said Nathan, an L.A. resident dressed in a business casual button-down and slacks, who noted he was en route back to the office. “I might want to stop and pick up some mouthwash or something first,” he joked.
Jessica and Eddie, who were visiting L.A. from Miami, also stumbled upon the installation by accident. “It’s always nice to see something different going on,” said Jessica. As for the tequila? “It was really smooth, actually,” she said. “I want more!”
The selfie-friendly stunt is definitely geared towards millennials, who, as we know, tend to prioritize shareable experiences over things. And if free alcohol is the latest trend in marketing, we’re in.
