On October 2007, "Otra Bestia" was chosen by MTV and Smirnoff from submissions from 2,500 bands to represent the country in the contest 'La Zona del Combate'.
In 1938 Kunett could not afford to pay for the necessary sales licences, and contacted John Martin, president of Heublein, who agreed to buy the rights to Smirnoff for the value of the distilling equipment.
Concerts feature Festival artists and guest artists such as Igor Begelman, Glenn Dicterow, Joan Kwuon, Joel Smirnoff, Sergiu Schwartz, Emma Tahmiazian, and the Ying and Shanghai Quartets.
Now GNS for white spirits and ‘sweetened products’ such as Archers, Pimm's, Smirnoff, Tanqueray and Gordon's Gin are also produced alongside grain spirit used in the Johnnie Walker, J&B, Bell's, Black & White, Vat 69, Haig and White Horse blended whisky brands owned by Diageo.
It acquired Heublein wines and spirits in 1987, which made it one of the largest producers of wines and spirits in the world, and gave the company ownership of the Smirnoff brand.
Ben Silverman announced in September 2010 that his production company, Electus, in partnership with branded entertainment agency GTM, would produce the show with financing from Diageo, parent of Smirnoff.
Smirnoff, a native of Mill Valley, California, a suburb of San Francisco, arrived in Oxford after his BMW sedan broke down in the midst of a cross-country excursion in late 1987.
In a 2002 episode of Futurama, "Crimes of the Hot", Fry states, "That ice dispenser is so big, the ice crushes you! Yakov Smirnoff said that."
•
In a 2001 episode of Family Guy, "There's Something About Paulie", a car navigation system has a "Yakov Smirnoff" setting, in which it intersperses directions (in a Russian accent) with jokes such as "In Soviet Russia, car drives you!" (This may have been the first instance of such a joke with the exact "In Soviet Russia" phrasing.)
•
In a 2002 episode of The Simpsons, "The Old Man and the Key", as part of his comedy revue, Smirnoff (voiced by an actor) states "In Soviet Russia, review watches you!"
She appeared in a number of advertising campaigns for big brands (Ponds, Pepsi, Siyaram, BPL, Smirnoff,Tata Sky mobile tv, etc.).
Jack Martin was owner of Heublein, producer of Smirnoff, and the source of his sister, Helen Martin's wealth that enabled her to be the university's anonymous benefactor.
For the same reason Andrew and Mat split from the band and were replaced by Oleg Smirnoff at keyboards (ex Eldritch) and Matteo Amoroso at drums (ex Athena).