ined ,” says Lauren Ryan-Kiyak , senior vice president , marketing for WES Brands , which is behind the Rising Star winner . “ The tour was so effective that Flecha sold out in multiple markets .”
Like burgers , like tequila . The same reason that folks flock to Wahlburgers is why they began buying Flecha Azul when they recognized the famous faced behind the brand . Celebrities come with their own built-in audiences . Tapping into that to fuel growth for an alcohol product can rocket a brand several years ahead of where its sales would have been otherwise .
Accordingly , it ’ s increasingly common now for the founders of a brand-new alcohol brand to search for a celebrity they might attach to the product . Finetuning flavor and packaging is critical , and perhaps so is getting the celebrity right .
Other times you ’ ll see an existing product find the right match years after launching . For instance , perennial Growth Brand Spirits winner BuzzBallz .
“ We partnered with and fostered a continued relationship with Blake Anderson of the Workaholics TV show and This Is Important podcast after witnessing his organic love of the brand , and created an ad campaign as well as unofficially sponsoring many stops of his This Is Important podcast tour , bringing in a new core audience to our fanbase ,” says Brady Bouldin , brand marketing associate for BuzzBallz / Southern Champion .
“ Our partnership with Blake Anderson created a lot of buzz ( pun intended ) considering he was our first official large celebrity partnership for the brand ,” Bouldin added . “ We partnered with video production agency Bacon & Eggs to create humorous and captivating ads with Blake that we were able to run throughout the summer along with our other influencer marketing campaigns .”
Celebrity endorsements come in different forms across different industries and pastimes .
“ In celebration of Valentine ' s Day , Whipshots joined forces with renowned sex therapist Dr . Ruth for an innovative social campaign that brought forth a blend of expertise and fun ,” says David Dreyer , CMO of Starco Brands , which produces the Rising Star winner . “ Dr . Ruth offered tips on how to indulge in sexual wellbeing with the help of Whip- www . stateways . com Summer 2024 • StateWays 31