Art Eddy III

As basketball converges with fashion, culture and community in the Windy City this weekend, Crown Royal Regal Apple has partnered with West side native turned designer, creator and collaborator Joe Freshgoods as a Creative Director to help bring Crown Royal Regal Apple to life throughout the weekend, as well as to announce the launch of their new capsule collection, ROYAL APPLE GOODS.

This unique collection, available for this weekend only, will include custom created apparel and accessories such as sneaker bags, hoodies, t-shirts and bandanas. The sneaker bags will be made from the whisky brand’s iconic bags that enclose each bottle of Crown Royal Regal Apple. Utilizing the bags that contain the larger format 1.75ml bottles, they will fit either 1 or 2 individual sneakers, depending on their size, ensuring that your shoes are always fresh and ready-to-wear. For years Crown Royal has been aware of consumers using its bags to hold everyday items such as sneakers, and this collaboration is a nod to that and to Chicago’s crisp fashion culture.

Freshgoods will unveil the capsule collection on Friday, February 14 at The Royal Pop Up by Crown Royal Regal Apple in his hometown of Chicago alongside an assembly of the city’s top creators and makers who Freshgoods hand selected. The one-stop, invite-only, pop up shop in the West Loop will be outfitted with all the things guests need to look and feel their freshest during the city’s star-studded weekend, including sneaker cleaning stations, barbering services, signature Crown Royal cocktails, an Insta-worthy green [apple] carpet and of course, the Crown Royal x Joe Freshgoods Present ROYAL APPLE GOODS capsule collection.

“I’ve always had a great love affair with Crown Royal, so this partnership felt like the thing to do. They’re re-defining royalty in a way that’s relevant to a new generation – to creators and people and from all walks of life – and I’m really excited to be a part of it,” said Joe Freshgoods. “With this Crown Royal Regal Apple capsule collection, we’re making something fun, cool and fresh that inspires self-expression and bridges the intersections of art and culture, while taking inspiration from my hometown of Chicago. This will be an historic weekend.”

The ROYAL APPLE GOODS collaboration between Crown Royal Regal Apple and Joe Freshgoods is a continuation of the brand’s commitment to blending fresh spins on culture with the fresh tasting flavor of Crown Royal Regal Apple. Infused with Regal Gala Apples, Crown Royal Regal Apple is a smooth, delicious tasting whisky that is best enjoyed responsibly as a chilled shot, on the rocks or in a cocktail.

“Crown Royal Regal Apple is continuing to re-write the definition of royalty, expanding on its cultural connections to the millennial and multicultural communities,” said Johannah Rogers, Senior Brand Manager, Crown Royal. “Collaborating with Joe Freshgoods on this capsule collection, and particularly on the sneaker bag, was natural for us because he embodies true passion in crisp culture. With his Chicago roots, it also presented the perfect opportunity for us to work together on giving back to the local community; to the city and people that first inspired him.”

Following The Royal Pop Up, Crown Royal Regal Apple is looking to continue to give back to the community and celebrate the city’s unique culture by partnering with 501(c)(3) Project Backboard to rehabilitate basketball courts around Chicago. Project Backboard’s mission is to renovate dilapidated basketball courts, turning them into vibrant community hubs, inspiring multi-generational play and improving park safety.

Budweiser revealed its Super Bowl spot titled “Typical American” featuring some of the most viral acts of humanity the internet has ever seen, juxtaposed with some of the most common labels placed on Americans. The shining stars of the film are the real-life stories of community, ambition and progress that inspire and bring people together. “Typical American” celebrates the best of the American spirit and reminds us that America’s best days are still ahead.

“This year, Budweiser will celebrate the essence of the American spirit by spotlighting ordinary people doing extraordinary things across the nation – a message we believe is incredibly timely,” said Ricardo Marques, VP Marketing Core & Value brands at Anheuser-Busch. “We are proud to refer to Budweiser as a ‘typical American beer’ in this spot, as it is a badge of honor for us. Budweiser is one of the most iconic American brands in the world, and there is nothing ordinary or unremarkable about how we make our beer or where the brand comes from.”

Directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Kathryn Bigelow, Budweiser’s :60 commercial turns American labels on their head and reminds viewers that the American spirit is alive through the extraordinary actions of ordinary people. After recruiting people from coast to coast who embody the American spirit – from everyday acts of kindness to epic personal achievements – Budweiser showed them engaged in acts that are in stark contrast to common labels and stereotypes. These include:

• Hannah Gavios from Queens, New York, debunks the label often placed on Americans of “always so competitive” as she heroically completes her second marathon three years after a spinal cord injury left her paralyzed.
• Mason Miller from Peoria, Arizona proves that “showing up uninvited” isn’t always a bad thing – especially if you’re a soldier surprising your family after a tour of duty.
• A Good Samaritan makes a case for “touching other people’s things” as he helps push a car to safety during a blizzard.
• Ken Nwadike Jr., from San Diego, California, “thinking he can save the world” offers “free hugs” to a police officer to defuse a tense protest proving there is more that unites us than divides us.