Here’s the setup. Our client was Allied Domecq’s Sauza Tequila, the No. 1 tequila in Mexico and the fastest growing spirits brand in the world. But even though virtually all knowledgeable tequila connoisseurs agree that Sauza produces a far superior product, the brand is still a distant No. 2 behind Jose Cuervo in the U.S.
So how do you begin to differentiate Sauza, and to whom? Cuervo owns the young “party-hardy” tequila shooter crowd, period. But research and marketplace intelligence led the client/agency team to believe that there was a fresh and totally proprietary branding platform just waiting to be claimed.
We knew that tequila has a built-in sense of fun that younger drinkers will always seek. It goes with the turf. But the explosive growth in the category is definitely skewing toward the high end. The shooters are growing up, and we became convinced that they’re open to embracing a more sophisticated type of fun, that they’re ready to learn about tequila heritage, authenticity, agave purity, tasting notes, and the many subtleties between types and marks of tequilas.
So our charge was education, both on-and off-premise. We began with the legend of the birth of tequila, a tale of how a bolt of lightning once struck an agave plant, releasing a delicious nectar that was accepted by the natives as a miraculous gift from the gods. We utilized the look of old, weathered stone and the earthy tones of Mexico to visualize this divine occurrence, and flanked it with the Sauza brands. Our theme was “Let There Be Sauza.”
This thematic umbrella became the platform for our efforts to deliver real tequila education and position Sauza as a more authentic, sophisticated, and higher-quality brand.
Our tagline, featured in on- and off-premise materials, practically wrote itself: “A better tequila experience.”
We think the platform will be the springboard to grow the brand outside the usual core shooter venues and introduce these tequilas – even the three higher-priced ultra-premiums atop the line – to grownup, top-shelf, brown goods flavor seekers looking for a unique and sophisticated taste experience.
Is tequila poised to give those pricey single malts and cognacs a run for their money? The category’s on the rise. And the shooters are ready to sip.
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