Overview
After mastering the art of producing premium spirits, Bully Boy, Boston’s first craft distillery, set its sights on creating a game-changing bottled version of one of the most classic cocktails in existence: The Old Fashioned. Stigmatized in the craft spirits world, the “ready-to-drink” category has been denigrated for years—an obstacle we knew would be difficult to combat. The campaign required a carefully orchestrated strategy to achieve the goal of driving sales of the limited-edition product while also continuing to grow Bully Boy Distillers’ reputation in elevating the entire bottled cocktail category.
Assignment
In 2012, Bully Boy Distillers came to marlo marketing to develop a launch plan designed to challenge the status quo and successfully shift perceptions of bottled cocktails among trade, consumers and media alike; to educate consumers; and to establish the brand as a regional and eventually national, pioneer in the category.
Strategy
- Obliterate the stigma around bottled cocktails by focusing on the craftsmanship and premium ingredients featured in The Old Fashioned. Steer clear of typical category language, such as “ready-to-drink,” and effectively establish a new tier of pre-made cocktails in a bottle.
- Target the most critical spirits’ influencers first for buy-in and third-party credibility; disseminating their endorsement to the masses to debunk the theory that all bottled cocktails are created equal.
- Leverage the hometown strength of Bully Boy’s brand with a memorable launch event for local Boston fans, driving buzz through sampling and building up an early fan base.
Results
50+ REGIONAL AND NATIONAL STORIES IN SIX MONTHS
65M+ IMPRESSIONS SINCE LAUNCH
5K CASES SOLD SINCE LAUNCH
