Pic.10-1 Promo poster of Vodka Kalashnikov advertising campaign.
One could buy a bottle of Kalashnikov Vodka and submit the tax mark
off the bottle for lottery drawing, the main prize was Russian car VAZ 2110
(colloquially known as simply "the 10"), hence the ad slogan: "Hit the 10!"
The designer is often asked why he agreed to grant his name to a vodka brand ? Kalashnikov says:
"I'm very cautious then it comes to my name usage. Then I was first time asked to allow naming local brand of vodka after me I was strongly against it. Mass media wouldn't hesitate to blame me in mass killing with vodka in addition to mass killing with AK-47s.
However, authorities of Udmurt Republic finally talked me into granting the permission - the key argument was that it's going to be premium vodka as simple and reliable as my assault rifle. By God, I'd been resisting hard - but I gave up in the end."
"By the way," - adds Kalashnikov, "do you know what it's mandatory to add a shot of vodka to pot of ukha (trad. Russian fish soup) in order to cook real good one ?"
Vodka Kalashnikov has been produced in Russia by "Liquor and Vodka Distillery "Glazovsky" (Glazovsky distillery OJSC) in Glazov, Udmurt Republic.
Glazovsky distillery works under control of the Government of Udmurt Republic. The distillery was established in 1900 and preserves and develops further the traditions of alcohol manufacture.
The exclusive rights to produce, bottle, distribute and sale vodka Kalashnikov is based on commercial agreements with Mikhail Kalashnikov. The agreement was signed by both Parties in 1998 and is valid for the period of 30 years.
Vodka produced by Glazovsky distillery is bottled to different forms of glass. There is a world-wide agreement to distribute and sale original Russian vodka in special bottle looking as Kalashnikov rifle that has been transferred to International Company VRQ.
Glazovsky distillery holds patents, designs, logos and registered trade marks for vodka Kalashnikov. International trade mark was registered by World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in 19 countries.
