Wine Fast Track Brands

in New Orleans, talent partners and in-person activations at Popeyes locations around the country,” says Harris

This led to successful social media strategies built around the most recent Super Bowl, which took place in New Orleans.

“ As the Official Tequila of the Big Game, we broke category norms with an unexpected yet buzzworthy collaboration,” Harris explains.“ Through our partnership with Popeyes, we created a viral moment on social media and online by launching the Championship Lineup Menu inspired by the host city of the Big Game, New Orleans. This first-of-its-kind spirits and culinary fusion menu combined the rich heritage of Popeyes ' Louisiana-style cooking with the bold flavors of Tequila Don Julio Reposado, making an iconic tribute to craftsmanship and iconic celebrations.”

This is quintessential social media strategy in 2025: converting real-world moments into consumable digital material.

“ To tap into the celebratory nature of the Big Game, and spotlight our beloved Tequila Don Julio 1942 variant which has become synonymous with celebration, we enlisted DJs John Summit and Dom Dolla to take over Bourbon Street with a public performance,” Harris says.“ Brand fans, Big Game viewers and music lovers flooded the streets to experience the 30−minute set, which later took over social media

and made headlines. Between the brand’ s partnership with Popeyes and our spontaneous pop-up on Bourbon Street, we remained top of mind during one of the biggest cultural moments of the year.”

Don Julio also ran impactful live and online programming around the 2024 Oscars, again marketing in the real and digital worlds simultaneously.

“ These moments aren’ t just about visibility, they also allow us to connect with LDA + consumers in relevant and meaningful ways,” Harris says.“ In fact, Don Julio saw net sales grow 62 % in the last six months of 2024, driven by the brand’ s ability to authentically show up in culture and meet consumers where they are.”

“ We’ re making a strategic, focused effort to seamlessly integrate our cultural programming into how we engage both on and off premise,” she adds.“ This means ensuring that every major cultural moment not only drives brand awareness and buzz, but also syncs up with our presence in both retail and on-premise environments directly at point of sale.”

Heaven Hill’ s Elijah Craig, which won an Established Growth Brand in 2025( no easy task!), found success online and with real-world events. www. beveragewholesaler. com Summer 2025 • Bevearge Wholesaler 13