Classic Rant #796 (August 31, 2012): Joltin' Joe ... The Drink?

Joe DiMaggio was an icon to many as one of the greatest baseball players in the history of the sport.

His 56-game hitting streak is a record that may stand forever.

And later in life, he kept in the headlines as first, the husband of Marilyn Monroe and later on, as the spokesperson for Mr. Coffee.

But now, DiMaggio, who passed on many years ago, will be promoting a new beverage, with his likeness adorning its can.

AriZona Beverages will soon be offering "Joltin' Joe," a lightly carbonate espresso, to its line of soft drinks.

It already offers Arnold Palmer varieties, so this is another step in its plan of linking sports icons with beverages.

And it reportedly is legit, with Joe DiMaggio LLC, which has rights to license the Yankee Clipper's image, giving their permission.

According to news reports, the can will feature a young DiMaggio, several photos of newspaper headlines about the 56-game feat, but it will be missing one major image ...

The New York Yankees logo on his cap. Instead, his cap will have a "USA" log on it.

I guess they couldn't get permission from the Yankees to use the iconic, interlocking "N-Y" logo.

I really don't know what to think of this. Images of many icons--everyone from Charlie Chaplin to Groucho Marx--have been legally used after their deaths to sell various things. Heck, DiMaggio's former wife's image has been used for decades, hasn't it?

Why not Joe DiMaggio?

But on the other hand, if you have to use an image like this, doesn't it cheapen the product?

And since these drinks are marketed to young people, do they really know who Joe DiMaggio was/is?

But it gets a lot of press, so I guess it already is generating a buzz that the drink itself probably won't ever deliver.

But what's next? Babe Ruth candy?

Oh, that's right, that's happened already ... although not really, because Baby Ruth bars have nothing ot do with Ruth, although most people think it does.

And since that candy has been around for generations, I guess the icon/food mix is a viable one.

Here's to Joltin' Joe.

Will it add to AriZona's hit streak?

Arizona?

No, it's made in Brooklyn!