459 - Are You A Whiskey Company or a Marketing Company?

Bourbon Pursuit

This is a question that has plagued me for quite some time and it was inspired by my wife. Ryan and I continuously evaluate brands as we compare what works and what doesn't when it comes to consumers. We get caught in this trap of continually pivoting as we see other brands catch fire because of a bottle design or some element. So my wife asked me, Kenny, are you are whiskey company or a marketing company? It caught me off guard and I really had to think about the broader landscape so I wanted to make an episode where we talk about what it takes to be a whiskey company versus a marketing company. There's probably a lot of brands out there that think of themselves as a whiskey company but in reality they are a marketing company. Here's the thing, there's no wrong answer. Marketing plays a crucial role in whiskey and it could be the marketing that's in your face through point of sale, it could be bottle shapes, or even the lack of marketing to keep the mystique alive. I thoroughly enjoyed this conversation and it probably requires us to hit this topic again in the future if you send us your feedback.

Show Notes:

• Above the Char with Fred Minnick (@fredminnick) talks about Maker's Mark and their role in bourbon resurgence.
• Where do you spend your first initial investment?
• Does the liquid even matter?
• Does having special distillation, heirloom grains, or anything else really matter?
• Can a big distiller be considered a marketing company?
• When a big distiller creates the same label with different colors and proofs, is that about the whiskey?
• How do you transition from being a marketing company to a whiskey company?
• Does it matter if you're getting it from one source like everyone else?
• Do you need to cater to the neophytes or the mass consumer market?
• If Fred Minnick starts a brand would you put your money in marketing or the whiskey?
• Can you be a whiskey company if you are using MGP?
• Is a lack of marketing considered marketing?
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