Cozy cuddles with Fido. Family parties. Making memories. Sneaking a peek at presents. A little Irish whiskey by the fire.
Consumers have options, especially when it comes to whiskey. We’re talking 10,000+ options. So when Limavady, a brand-spanking-new Irish whiskey brand told us they wanted to stand out amongst competitors during their holiday season launch, we knew we needed to do something that would help build a strong connection with consumers.
When your brand partners are working closely with a national sales team for a new market launch, their goals typically are not Views of Cost-per-impression, especially when they have a superior product in terms of flavor profile.
But how do you stand out when every distributor and brand has a sampling program? Better yet, how does Limavady create a unique emotional experience on top of the distinct taste of their single barrel Irish whiskey?
Limavady needed to be distinct and personal if it wanted a chance of being noticed in an already saturated market. So, last Christmas, we set out to build brand affinity by activating in one of its key markets, Florida. By tapping into consumers’ love for their pets and creating a brand experience that they could enjoy together, Limavady was able to touch consumers in a memorable way.
With any new brand, there’s the challenge of building a following from the ground up and cutting through the clutter of a saturated market. Limavady’s activation presented a challenge in that we were attempting to launch a new brand in a new market while standing out from the crowd. There were also multiple locations that stretched the state set up and ready to go: Miami, Tampa, Saint Augustine and Sarasota, which presented another logistic challenge.
Limavady means “Leap of the Dog” in Gaelic. We chose to pay homage to it by creating experiential events at bars across Florida for consumers and their pets to add an experiential layer to the brand’s #DrinkingWithDogs campaign. Because what’s better than some responsible day drinking with your pup in tow?
Everyone’s slinging gifts during the holidays, but our furry friends don’t get quite as much love as they deserve. Thus, Christmas for Dogs was born. We dropped off 365 gifts for dogs at bars across Florida. Gifts ranged from toys to beds and were all hand-wrapped in Limavady paper.
The experience was complete with an Instagramable step-and-repeat backdrop and, of course, bottles of Ireland’s greatest whiskey. Not only did the doggos have their fun, but mom and dad got to kick back with friends and sip on Limavady Irish Whiskey, making memories with photo booths and props to bringing to life #DrinkingWithDogs.
Limavady got into the hands, hearts and minds of whiskey drinkers in a key market. Consumers at bars across the state moved beyond awareness and towards affinity through the creation of personal memories with their pets and the product.
Other results include: Lots of happy doggos with new treats. Proud pet parents with new photos and custom paw-print ornaments to show off at the dog park, on the Christmas tree and on Insta (#DrinkingWithDogs). New holiday memories made. Limavady Irish Whiskey at the top of Florida whiskey lovers’ Christmas lists.