Patron Selects The Richards Group as Agency of Record

LAS VEGAS and DALLAS, Jan. 19 /PRNewswire/ -- The Patron Spirits Company, headquartered in Las Vegas, has selected Dallas-based independent The Richards Group as advertising agency of record. The agency's responsibilities for Patron will include creative development, public relations, and broadcast media planning and buying. Billings are estimated at $25 million.

"We chose The Richards Group based on its sophisticated market insights and ability to turn those insights into compelling creative ideas," said Ed Brown, CEO and president of Patron. "As a team, we will be able to take the Patron brand to new heights."

"The Richards Group's focus and intensity for our brand was evident during the review and that energy was the most compatible with our organization," said John McDonnell, COO of Patron. "We look forward to building a long and successful relationship."

The Patron Spirits Company is known for its ultra-premium tequila made from 100% pure Waeber blue agave, grown in the highlands of Jalisco, Mexico. The company blends traditional techniques with modern technology to create Patron Tequila, which is today's number one selling ultra-premium tequila. In 2004, Patron was the first spirits brand to receive the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences Five Star Diamond Award. That same year, the company also received Impact Magazine's "Hot Brand of the Year" award. Patron Tequila continues to set new sales records every year.

"Patron is a one-of-a-kind, premium brand that already has a loyal and passionate customer base," said Dave Kroencke, principal at The Richards Group. "We are thrilled to have been chosen to help accelerate the company's brand-building efforts in the United States."

Patron will immediately begin The Richards Group's Spherical(R) branding process. New creative is scheduled to launch in summer 2006.

About The Patron Spirits Company

In 1989, two visionaries, Paul Mitchell Systems co-founder John Paul DeJoria and entrepreneur Martin Crowley, formed The Patron Spirits Company with the goal of producing "the best tequila in the world." Made from 100% pure Waeber blue agave, grown in the hills of Jalisco, Mexico, Patron Tequila is blended by traditional techniques with modern technology, resulting in the creation of the world's first ultra-premium tequila. Under the stewardship of DeJoria and former Seagram executive Ed Brown, a new distilling factory was built in Jalisco. With the guidance of the renowned master distiller Francisco Alcarez, the new factory was designed to be state-of-the-art while steeped in tradition. Today, Patron Tequila, which is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada, is the world's number one ultra-premium tequila, outselling its nearest competitor by eight times in the United States alone.

In 2004, Patron Tequila received Impact Magazine's "Hot Brand of the Year" award and was the first spirits brand to be recognized with the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences Five Star Diamond Award. Nine distinctive products now share the Patron label including Gran Patron, Patron Anejo, Patron Reposado, Patron Silver, Patron XO Cafe, Patron Citronge, Pyrat Cask 1623, Pyrat XO Reserve and Pyrat Pistol. The newest, Gran Patron Platinum, is an extraordinary triple-distilled pure agave tequila.

About The Richards Group

The Richards Group, located in Dallas, Texas, is one of the largest independent branding agencies in the nation. Agency clients include the standard-setting brands of The Home Depot, Chick-fil-A, Hyundai, Red Lobster, Zales Jewelers, Motel 6 and Fruit of the Loom. Total billings for the agency were $1.25 billion in 2005. The Richards Group can be found at http://www.richards.com/ .

   Contact:
   Anya Mailandt
   The Richards Group
   214-891-5206
   anya_mailandt@richards.com