Winning a Category-Defining Moment

In December 2024, the government announced that American Single Malt whiskey (ASM) would be designated as its own official spirts category, in just one month’s time. It was a watershed event; the first such action since Bourbon was recognized over 50 years prior, and important in codifying quality standards, setting the stage for accelerated growth.

Stranahan’s is the number one-selling ASM. The Proximo Spirits-owned brand needed to win the moment to reinforce its category pioneership, leadership and unmatched accolades, earned over 20 years. It was all happening just as iconic brands such as Jim Beam and Jack Daniel’s were releasing their first-ever ASMs.

With just four weeks until official designation, and the news it would naturally generate, the race was on. Our chief remit was to win earned media share of voice for the category.

It called for something tangible and original – well beyond a history-rehashing earned media effort, no matter how aggressive and well substantiated.

Our approach was to productize the moment, knowing that new product news drives the lion’s share of whiskey coverage. We convinced Stranahan’s to accelerate announcement of a new product originally slated for June and to reposition it as celebratory of ASM’s new “official” status.

And so was born Founder’s Release, named to honor Stranahan’s founder, who was available to speak on its behalf and his role in originating ASMs overall. It became the centerpiece of a fully integrated campaign we would manage, coordinating an interagency team that spanned video production, paid media, social media and digital marketing/e-commerce.

Stranahan’s dominated news coverage and earned top share of voice by a landslide, with a 69% share among top ASMs, and a 50% YOY increase. Among 177 earned media placements, 72% told of the brand’s leadership. Campaign-centric social media saw a 17% engagement rate.

While not a preset metric, Founder’s Release, with an SRP of $215, would sell of out – chiefly through an online presale announced on designation day.