The I’ll Be Missing You singer’s Combs Wines and Spirits LLC firm filed a complaint earlier this week accusing the “multi-billion dollar, publicly-traded spirits company” of failing to promote his Ciroc and DeLeon brands because they considered them “Black brands” that should only be marketed to “urban” consumers.
In court documents obtained by People magazine, the 53-year-old rap mogul’s legal team wrote: “It was Diageo that kneecapped DeLeon’s sales growth for nearly a decade and now says that, because DeLeon has not yet reached the same sales levels as competing brands Casamigos and Don Julio, Diageo need not provide it with the same scale support.”
“Diageo consistently fell short of its commitments” when they partnered again in 2013 to “buy, market and sell” DeLeon Tequila, the complaint states. Diddy helped Ciroc’s sales grow by over 3,000 percent when he became the brand’s face in 2007.
When Diageo bought Don Julio in 2015 and Casamigos in 2017, Diddy thought the company’s “commitment to and focus on DeLeon inevitably suffered.”
Sean Diddy Combs sued Diageo for racial discrimination.
“If he were ‘Martha Stewart,’ his brands would be more widespread,” a firm official said DeLeon, according to the lawsuit.
Diddy’s spokeswoman didn’t respond, but Diageo claimed they’re “saddened” by the portrayal.
“This is a business dispute, and we are saddened that Mr. Combs has chosen to recast this matter as anything else,” the firm told People.
We take diversity in our organization and communities seriously. We refute the charges and will firmly defend ourselves.
“For over 15 years, we’ve had a fruitful and mutually beneficial partnership with Mr. Combs on different commercial projects, making major investments that have resulted in financial success for everybody involved.
We are saddened that Mr. Combs has damaged a productive and valued cooperation and ignored our efforts to resolve this commercial matter peacefully.
“While we respect Mr. Combs as an artist and entrepreneur, his allegations lack merit, and we are confident the facts will show that he has been treated fairly.”
