In the rarefied air of The Hamptons, Palm Beach, and Aspen, where luxury vehicles glide past beach houses and ski chalets like scenery in a film, a dispute over branding has erupted into federal court. Chauffeur service Rove has filed a $2 million lawsuit against Casa Del Sol Tequila, the premium spirits label co-founded by actress Eva Longoria, alleging the brand failed to pay for advertisements plastered on Rove’s fleet of cars.
The suit, filed October 22, 2024, in the Eastern District of New York, comes from Jack Brinkley-Cook, founder of Rove and son of model Christie Brinkley. Court documents claim Casa Del Sol entered into a multi-year agreement in September 2023 that would see its logo and campaign materials appear on Rove’s luxury vehicles across three of America’s most conspicuous playgrounds for the wealthy: Long Island’s Hamptons, Florida’s Palm Beach, and the ski enclave of Aspen, Colorado.
According to filings, the deal began smoothly but fell apart almost immediately. Rove alleges that despite “repeated assurances” from Casa Del Sol, no payments were made for placements in November and December 2023, or January 2024. At the same time, the tequila brand was reportedly hosting “extravagant promotional junkets, parties and other events,” suggesting, in Rove’s view, misplaced priorities.
The breakdown had consequences beyond unpaid invoices. Rove claims it was forced in January 2024 to suspend operations in Palm Beach and Aspen altogether, while shelving plans for a Hamptons summer campaign. The company argues that Casa Del Sol’s alleged refusal to honor the contract left Rove with no choice but to seek damages.
Casa Del Sol, for its part, is pushing back. An attorney for the brand told People magazine that the lawsuit “is a misrepresentation of the facts. We will vigorously defend against this attempt to create headlines and extract an unwarranted payout.”
Founded in 2021, Casa Del Sol has marketed itself as a luxury tequila infused with Hollywood star power, artisanal Mexican craftsmanship, and glossy lifestyle storytelling. Rove, a relative newcomer to the high-end transportation sector, has built its image on marrying chauffeured convenience with aspirational branding, making the partnership seem inevitable—until it wasn’t.
For now, both companies face an uncomfortable spotlight: one fighting for compensation it claims is overdue, the other defending its reputation as it seeks to maintain its sheen in the fiercely competitive luxury spirits market.
