• Ad Age, Thursday, June 17, 2010 11:45 AM

Smirnoff is suggesting that it had a hand in the demise of BrosIcingBros.com, the Web site that promoted a viral drinking game called "Icing" that encouraged people -- usually on the young and male side of the knucklehead equation -- to chug bottles of Smirnoff Ice on one knee.

"[Smirnoff Ice parent] Diageo has taken measures to stop this misuse of its Smirnoff Ice brand and marks, and to make it clear that 'icing' does not comply with our marketing code, and was not created or promoted by Diageo, Smirnoff Ice, or anyone associated with Diageo," the company said in a statement.

Since late yesterday, Kunur Patel reports, the site is a blank page with the message, "We had a good run Bros." That would seem to put the kibosh on some observers' speculation that the drinking game was a perverse viral marketing stunt.

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