Insights and Strategy

Our strategic thinking began by uncovering critical insights around consumer preferences for premium yet accessible lifestyle experiences. Research highlighted that our target market—affluent, style-conscious individuals aged 25-44—sought versatile, aspirational spirits suitable for mid-tempo occasions. To leverage this insight, we devised a strategic framework focusing on two core layers:

1. Awareness Layer: We strategically aligned 1800 Tequila Cristalino with culturally significant events, specifically Melbourne Fashion Week and the ARIAs, to maximise premium visibility. High-impact outdoor placements and targeted digital campaigns provided continuous brand exposure, establishing an immediate connection between 1800 Tequila and premium Australian lifestyle experiences.

2. Consideration Layer: To deepen consumer engagement, we showcased product versatility through curated influencer activations and contextually relevant event experiences. This targeted messaging positioned Cristalino as the ideal choice for a variety of premium drinking occasions, appealing effectively to both traditional white spirit consumers and whisky drinkers looking for refined alternatives.

Our strategic choice of premium positioning, instead of unattainable luxury, ensured authentic resonance with our target audience, creating strong affinity and genuine consideration. This dual-layer strategy provided a balanced, highly targeted approach, effectively setting the foundation for sustained brand growth and preference.

Execution and Audience Engagement

Implementation of our strategy revolved around a seamless integration of premium event sponsorship, localised outdoor media, targeted digital advertising, and influencer activations, each meticulously selected to reinforce brand positioning and product versatility.

At Melbourne Fashion Week, 1800 Tequila’s strategic presence included high-impact outdoor media within key fashion precincts. Suburb-specific messaging—such as “Stylish Taste, From Mexico to St Kilda”—created hyper-local connections, driving resonance and consumer relevance. Co-branded designs added further authenticity, visually integrating the brand into this iconic cultural moment.

For the ARIA Awards, we strategically utilised influencer partnerships and engaging social content to elevate brand perception within Australia’s music and entertainment culture, further enhancing 1800 Tequila’s premium positioning.

A complementary digital strategy involved precise geo-fencing around Dan Murphy’s locations and other key stockists, effectively converting heightened awareness into actionable consideration. Additionally, a targeted social giveaway offering exclusive event passes amplified consumer engagement, creating memorable brand interactions and reinforcing 1800 Tequila’s aspirational yet attainable status.

Our meticulous integration of Blis audience targeting provided further precision, ensuring content was delivered to receptive, high-value segments. By balancing consistent premium exposure with carefully targeted consideration messaging, we effectively positioned 1800 Tequila Cristalino as the versatile choice for premium mid-tempo occasions, strategically capturing consumer interest, influencing purchase behaviour, and ultimately delivering tangible growth outcomes.

Results and Impact

Our collaborative strategic approach delivered significant, measurable outcomes, firmly establishing 1800 Tequila as a standout within Australia’s highly competitive tequila category. This strategy directly contributed to impressive year-over-year sales growth of 22%, positioning the brand as the second-fastest growing tequila within Australia’s top ten tequila brands.

Independent brand tracking by Tracksuit confirmed substantial gains within our competitive set:

• Brand Awareness moved from #2 to #1

• Conversion from awareness to consideration became #1 within the category

• Usage-to-preference conversion ranked #1, reflecting successful strategic messaging around versatility and premium positioning

Moreover, brand affinity increased notably by 4 percentage points compared to the previous quarter, clearly demonstrating that the premium-focused strategic alignment resonated deeply with our target market.

Our layered strategic approach ensured sustained consumer interest across multiple touchpoints, significantly influencing consumer consideration and purchasing behaviour. The decision to position 1800 Tequila as premium and versatile rather than simply luxurious was crucial. This clarity enabled more effective consumer connection, driving substantial market penetration and enhancing consumer brand perception.

This campaign not only achieved immediate sales results but also strategically positioned 1800 Tequila for sustained growth and consumer loyalty. It illustrated how clear strategic thinking, effective collaboration, and precise execution could tangibly shift consumer perception and market performance. Ultimately, our strategy positioned 1800 Tequila as the preferred spirit for Australia’s premium aspirational lifestyle experiences, setting a benchmark for strategic excellence in brand positioning and consumer engagement.

Thank you…