Our Creative Work
Behind the Barrel - Wild Turkey
Reigniting passion for a worthy brand through an unforgettable experience
Challenge
While knowledgeable bartenders know that Wild Turkey is a fantastic and high-quality bourbon, for far too long the brand suffered from misguided consumer perception. Research showed that the average drinker thought of Wild Turkey as a harsh whiskey made for the "good ol’ boys."
Solution
Using industry contacts, we personally invited 30 of the country’s best and most influential bartenders to Kentucky to spend two nights immersing themselves in the Wild Turkey bourbon world and family.
Busch Beer - Creative Direction
How we brought the sound of refreshment "Buschhhhh" to life and increased sales
Challenge
The above-the-line agency had a new TV ad reaching back to the ’80s for that famous “Buuuuuschhhh” sound. Our challenge was to use this concept to sell beer at retail. We started by creating our own benefit-driven tagline: “The Sound of Refreshment.” We developed the look, feel, and type of retail elements.
Solution
We collaborated with agencies from all over the country to re-launch this iconic brand in a fun and engaging way. As the retail agency, it was our job to translate the “Buschhhhhhhhh” creative to life at the store while also hitting pivotal passion points throughout the year, mainly racing and the outdoors.
Cabo - Thick Cut Lifestyle
How we blazed a path where no tequila had ever gone before
Challenge
Cabo Wabo was in need of a big rebrand and a revamped direction in the way it connected with consumers. Instead of following the pack and harping on Mexican heritage and pretentious quality, we took a fresh approach, based on insights, that made Cabo Tequila stand out for some more assertive reasons.
Solution
It was our job to bring the program to life through retail, digital, and experiential means. After running the Cabo social channels for a couple of years, we used digital insights to develop a very targeted campaign focused on the middle-aged, mid-western male. He knows what he likes, will pay more for the things he wants, and doesn’t care what you think. From one of our positioning decks, Cabo is “100% Mexican, 110% American” tequila.
Cabo Diablo - Branding & Social Media
Launching a new coffee-flavored tequila, from the ground up
Challenge
With flavored liqueurs gaining momentum among younger crowds, it made sense for the mother brand of Cabo Wabo to create this new devilish blend of smooth coffee with the bite of tequila. Targeted at males, ages 21–25, it was our challenge to come up with the overall brand image, story, and engagement strategy.
Summary
Our winning concept: “Diablo Made Me Do It.” The message: “No matter what mischief you get into tonight, you’ll have the best excuse in the book. So go ahead, give into temptation, and embrace the night’s adventures.” This concept was heavily tied to the hashtag: #DiabloMadeMeDoIt – encouraging digital participation and sharing.
After launch, we grew our Facebook page from zero to over 10,000 fans in two months. In fact, one of our promoted posts became so popular that it was listed among the top 10 “Most Engaging Facebook Posts” by Unmetric.
Que 42 - Launching Our Own BBQ Brand
The journey from cooking in the backyard to store shelves and online sales
Summary
We’ve cooked in the competition BBQ scene for almost a decade in Memphis, St. Louis, Kansas City, and beyond. We’ve won numerous awards, beating out some of the top BBQ chefs in the world. When we moved to Buffalo, we wanted to bring our passion and knowledge to a market not known for its own style of BBQ. Starting with our original two sauce and rub recipes, we began working on bringing Que 42 to life.
Process
With about 50 bottles of each product, we secured our first shelf space at a local artisan market and launched our e-commerce website and social media channels.
Our sampling events were a huge hit and gave us early proof of concept. That's when we found co-packers in the Western New York region to help us create a larger batch, allowing us to scale.
Success
We've grown to be featured on multiple store shelves and have the support of former and current Buffalo Bills players, fellow food influencers in our region, and national influencers. You can dig in and even order your own bottles at www.que42bbq.com.