Hennessy Trinidad and Tobago has plans to refurbish at least five basketball courts across the country. This was revealed at the local leg of Hennessy’s Sip and Drip series.

The event was held on February 22 at the rooftop of The Brix, Autograph Collection, Cascade.

It pulled together artistes, media and other creative people such as Ishamel St Bryce, vice president of the National Basketball Federation and artiste Llano “Jahllano” Grant.

Its Hennessy VS and Les Twins special limited edition bottle was also unveiled that evening. Les Twins are French dancers, choreographers, producers, models, designers, and creative directors Laurent and Larry Nicolas Bourgeois.

AS Bryden is the local distributor for Hennessy.

Hennessy TT’s brand manager Sabrina Celestin said the Sip and Drip series had been adapted to the local market.

[caption id="attachment_942306" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Hennessy brand manager Sabrina Celestine with local musician and artist Rae Anne Victor. - SUREASH CHOLAI[/caption]

“TT is such an important market for Moet Hennessy. What happens globally we try to tailor to our market. We try to put our Trinbagonian spin on it.”

Hennessy is the spirit of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the series was launched in the US in 2020 and expanded in 2021, becoming international then, she said.

“All markets throughout the world Hennessy is the official spirit of the NBA so, of course, that means Trinidad and Tobago as well.”

Celestin said the courts will be refurbished in north, south, east and west Trinidad as well as Tobago and will be chosen by the federation. Conversations with the basketball federation are still ongoing and chosen courts have not been finalised as yet, she said.

“We have been speaking with their president (Claire Mitchell). She is out of the country right now but the vice president is here this evening, (Ishamel) St Bryce.

“We just made a commitment that we are going to make an investment and refurbish some courts,” she said.

Celestin said once the courts are determined and the extent of work needed, the company will then see how much investment is required.

She said the company knew that the wider campaign was coming to the TT since February 2021 but the company was unable to have the event until this year because of the pandemic.

[caption id="attachment_942305" align="alignnone" width="1024"] French Ambassador Didier Chabert, left, Kerron Sealey (Sunny Bling) and Hennessy brand manager Sabrina Celestin at the Hennessy Sip and Drip event last Tuesday night at The Brix, Autograph Collection, Cascade. - SUREASH CHOLAI[/caption]

There will also be other aspects to the campaign including goodwill and other consumer activities and promotions, she said.

In a release, Celestin said the NBA and Hennessy have much in common as “the NBA is more than basketball, and Hennessy is more than cognac.”

It said that Hennessy represents global communities,