Media coverage was extensive. More than 30,711,189 media impressions went out over more than 129 media outlets, benefitting the entire rum category and all participanting rum brands at our events. Ads in the Miami Herald Weekend and Tropical Life sections along with a robust campaign online with Miami.com raised a lot of attention with 1,363,717 impressions. A full week campaign in the Sun Sentinel in print and online generated 1,050,475 impressions. An extensive online campaign with Miami New Times as well as print across two weeks helped reach an active audience with 1,667,225 impressions. A robust radio campaign with Cox Radio's Easy 93.1 and The Coast 97.3 were well directed toward an upscale, youthful demographic with a message that rum is fun. WLRN underwriting delivered the message to 17,700 sophisticated listeners over a week with multiple impressions daily. Television coverage included 20,000,000 European housholds, 33,000 viewers of South Florida Today and 15,000 on Telemundo's Buenos Dias Miami Morning Show. Once again, partnerships with Chilled Magazine and more than three dozen trade and consumer publications created broad awareness. Islands Magazine and Caribbean Travel + Life combined delivered more than 160,000 targeted impressions. (list of media coverage links)

Online presence was overwhelming. The overwhelming quantity and quality of blog entries, online articles far surpassed our previous years. The Boston Globe, Caribbean Travel + Life, Islands Magazine, About.com and numerous other high-profile media channels praised the events and provided timely coverage. Our email blasts reached more than 40,000 targeted consumers. Rum bloggers came from as far away as London, Rome, Scotland, Copenhagen, Berlin, Amsterdam, Paris, Jamaica, California, Seattle, Chicago, New Orleans and New York. Local media was completely saturated with event coverage as the word spread throughout the social media networking community in South Florida. Miami Beach 411 contributed 25,756 impressions locally. Several articles published by Uncommon Caribbean delivered an estimated 2,140 impressions each cycle. Urban Daddy expressed 315,000 impressions while Yelp delivered 490,000.

VIPs were delighted. More than 1200 very important persons came to Miami Rum Renaissance from all over the world to enjoy eight outstanding VIP Parties around town at some of the finest bars, restaurants and nightclubs in South Florida. Mixologists, bartenders, store owners, managers and buyers were among those discovering more than 100 fine cane spirit products at the show. The master blenders and distillers, the brand ambassadors, the judges and pundits rubbed shoulders with rum enthusiasts from near and far.

Competitions empowered great exposure. The RumXP International Tasting brought two dozen of the world's most respected rum experts to the festival for a prestigious blind tasting competition where the best rums were richly rewarded and recognized. The International Tiki Face Off Competition pitted the best bartenders in the UK against the best in the US, generating a tremendous amount of positive publicity for rum brands, tropical tiki cocktails and the venues represented by these renowned mixologists. The Barritt's Ginger Beer competition challenged amateurs and professionals from around the United States to present their finest cocktail recipes using this exotic ingredient, engaging more than one hundred mixologists and producing many dozens of refreshing new drinks. The Zombie Jam at the Mai Kai presented Jeff "Beach Bum" Berry's graduate thesis seminar about the history of the Zombie Cocktail, while some of the best bartenders in the US competed to make the best contemporary version of that infamous libation.

Rum variety was astounding. More than 120 spirits from virtually every rum producing country in the Western Hemisphere were savored -- from the most notable birthplaces of classic cane spirits -- inspired by their unique cultures, tropical locations and exotic influences.

Celebrity Seminars were informative. Attendees enjoyed presentations by famous rum legends like Ian Burrell on the past, present and future of the Daiquiri. John Meisler and Esteban Ordonez gave a great presentation on the Rums of DonQ. Ricardo Henriquez presented a program about the exceptional rums of Abuelo in Panama. Chesterfield Browne of Barbados offered a lively and informative seminar on Mount Gay's notable spirits. David Cid presented Turning of the Tide: A fascinating historical adventure focusing on the amazing pioneers and historical events that forever changed the Sugarcane Spirits world. Adam Kanter of Rum Bar Philly offered sage advice to those that would enjoy starting their own bar at home. The 5th generation Master Blender of the Brugal Family, Gustavo Ortega offered an intimate tasting of that brands' finest rums. Ariel Otero of Rums of Puerto Rico gave the audience a compelling and insightful presentation on why Rums of PR share high quality standards. Noted spirits lecturer Philip Duff explored the terroir of Caribbean rums and provided insight on the process in which Plantation ages their rums in Cognac barrels. Finally, Ian Williams, noted scholar and historian offered a factual and entertaining perspective on the role of rum in the American Revolution.

The setting was ideal. The Deauville Beach Resort, the perfect context for reflecting the easy-going, fun-loving nature of our rum enthusiast lifestyle.

The Island Lifestyle Showcase offered rum enthusiasts a great opportunity a discover a treasure trove of cool island fashions, arts and crafts, tiki collectables, home furnishings, travel opportunities, cocktail books and more.

American Rums were well represented. Attendees were treated to some hard-to-find gems made in the United States, several of which (Siesta Key, Montanya and Koloa) won awards in the RumXP tasting competition. We'll be keeping our eye on these up-and-coming brands produced by some very talented and passionate teams across the USA.

Truly, rum is enjoying a renaissance. Thousands of people left the Rum Renaissance events with a new-found enthusiasm and understanding of the noble spirit of the new world. They are proclaiming their discovery and delight to their friends and family far and wide, as newly appointed rum ambassadors, set off on their own further discovery of the fascinating world of rums. Our message of rum resergence went out far and wide across the globe, positively benefitting all the products participating in Miami Rum Renaissance Festival, as well as the entire category of rum worldwide.