Diddy just filed a lawsuit against Diageo, alleging the spirits company and its Chief Executive Officer Ivan Menezes neglected their joint venture, DeLeón Tequila, and that the company creates “the illusion of inclusion,” when it comes to black brands and partners.
The mogul accuses Diageo and Menezes of racism and even sabotaging the distribution and production of the joint venture while pouring more resources into the likes of George Clooney’s Casamigos and their other brands. The suit also accuses Diageo of branding DeLeón as an Urban brand that they do not feature on their main page or press releases where their other spirits are featured.
Combs Wines and Spirits LLC filed the lawsuit in the state Supreme Court of New York. The mogul is seeking injunctive relief against Diageo’s shortcomings and lack of support.
The suit claims that while Diageo promised to invest in DeLeon tequila and Ciroc vodka, Combs has had to pour his marketing dollars to push the brand, and “while Diageo may conspicuously include images of its Black partners in advertising materials and press releases, its words only provide the illusion of inclusion. As Combs Wines and Sean Combs have experienced firsthand, Diageo, by and through its parent company’s Chief Executive Officer Ivan Menezes, has proven unwilling to treat its Black partners equally.”
While contractually Diageo promised Combs that they would equally work with his brand and are committed to diversity and equality, their alleged actions show otherwise. The suit goes as far as to state that instead of giving Diddy’s ventures equal treatment, “Diageo has treated Mr. Combs and his brands worse than others because he is Black. Diageo has typecasted Ciroc and DeLeon.”
The spirits giant has allegedly deemed that Diddy’s brands are only for Urban consumers and limited their availability in the markets.
The lawsuit also claims that in 2019 Diageo’s President of Reserve and New Business, Stephen Rust, recognized that there was racism within the company and that the company’s leadership had resentment towards Combs for making a lot of money. He even reportedly admitted that race was “the reason Diageo limited the neighborhoods where the Combs brands were distributed,” if Diddy were Martha Stewart, the circumstances would be different.
In addition, Diageo has allegedly not supported DeLeon’s production and distribution which has often led to limited stock and pushed customers to buy other tequila such as Diageo’s non-black counterparts, Casamigos and Don Julio, while also not making DeLeon available in most markets, thus hindering the brand’s growth and popularity.
The music mogul is seeking the court to hold Diageo accountable and pay up for the lack of support and to treat his brand similarly to their other spirits.
Diddy’s company Combs Wines is seeking: “injunctive relief; (2) judgment in favor of Combs Wines on its claim; (3) available costs; (4) available fees; and (5) all other relief as this Court finds appropriate.”
This is not Diageo’s first time being sued by a musical icon, back in 2013, Pharrell Williams sued the company for breach of contract.