Hennessy Pushes Cognac With Party for Dupri

The brand hosts lavish private events for celebrities—and music producer Jermaine Dupri's birthday was the most recent occasion for a sponsored fete.

October 2, 2006

Solicitous host Moët Hennessy USA has a policy against paying celebrities outright to appear at events and promote its brand. But that doesn’t stop the cognac purveyor from offering nonfinancial gifts. This time, rewards came in the form of a birthday party for music producer Jermaine Dupri—along with 100 family members and celebrity friends, including girlfriend Janet Jackson, Serena Williams, Penelope Cruz, and Lil Jon—at Quincy Jones’ Bel Air manse. Kai Rosenthal, vice president of event marketing and PR for Moët Hennessy USA, oversaw the event, which is part of a series of luxe parties for brand-appropriate celebrities that has also included fetes for Alicia Keys and Kanye West.Event Eleven brought in the decor and furniture that dotted the sophisticated, tented party space, including lots of sleek white lounge furniture and Lucite tables, as well as dark shelving units that displayed the cognac bottles. The main dining space featured a regal-looking “JD” monogram on the floor and long banquet tables where caterer Akasha served dinner on square plates with simple white linens. Amber lighting overhead came from unadorned lampshades suspended from the tent. For dessert, Very Different Cakes prepared a confection with Dupri’s initials on top.

—Alesandra Dubin

Posted 10.02.06

Photos: Line 8 Photography

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At Hennessy Paradis’ birthday party for Jermaine Dupri, dark shelving prominently displayed cognac bottles.

Event Eleven brought in the decor and furniture that dotted the sophisticated party space, including lots of sleek white lounge furniture and Lucite tables.