What's French for cocktail?

Big spirits companies have known for years that generic promotion of cocktail consumption is a good idea, since a rising tide  lifts all boats. The French know it, too, and have again launched their annual "French Cocktail Hour" on- and off-premise promo.

From June 2-12th, select restaurants in New York City and Chicago are offering cocktails made with French spirits, along with selected wine, beer and champagne for "French Cocktail Hour" between 6pm and 8pm. Twenty retailers in New York and ten in Chicago will offer tastings "to show how signature French champagne, beer and spirits are the perfect apéritif partner."

While it's a good idea to promote classic French apertifs like Ricard and any promo featuring Pommery is fine by me, I wonder why brands like Lillet, Dubonnet, Noilly Prat vermouth and other once-ubiquitous French concoctions don't get involved with something like this. Still big in Europe , these brands are stagnant or shrinking here, and seem to be missing out on grabbing onto some of the cocktail's new-found glory. I don't even know if they were asked to participate, but if not, their brand managers should insist on a piece of the action for next time. Not that anybody asked me...