Launching
The True Taste of Tequila
ENTERING THE TEQUILA WARS ARMED ONLY WITH THE TRUTH
Tequila is the only consistent growth category in an otherwise flat distilled spirits market. Each year, up to 40 new challengers—often co-branded with major celebrities—join the fray to compete with nearly 1200 established brands. All told, tequila brands spend $70 million a year on advertising.
Our challenge with Trianon was to launch another new brand into this fiercely competitive market, without massive budgets or celebrities. There would be no George Clooney, P. Diddy or Sammy Hagar to fight for us. What we did have, however, was even more powerful. The truth.
A QUEST FOR AUTHENTICITY
We traveled through the rural areas of Jalisco, Mexico, where tequila originated, to immerse ourselves in every phase of Trianon’s process for handcrafting tequila—an adventure that often required armed guards.
Discovering The Difference
At every turn, we saw proof of the brand’s authentic craftsmanship. From the unique—and in many ways, primitive—distillation process handed down through generations of Maestros Tequileros (Master Tequila makers), to bottles and labels handcrafted on site.
But the true discovery was this: All tequilas claim to be made from 100% blue agave. With most brands, that unique agave taste never makes to the bottle. To determine if tequila possesses the true taste of agave—and therefore, the true taste of tequila—Trianon’s Maestro Tequileros use a simple, common-sense test. So simple, we realized, consumers could do it.
We branded this consumer-engaging test: The Trianon Rub.
The Trianon Rub
The Trianon Rub as demonstrated by a Maestro Tequilero:
campaign LAUNCH ASSETS
With the Trianon Rub providing compelling proof of premium taste, we launched with a brand position befitting an unabashedly authentic small batch tequila: Trianon. The True Taste of Tequila.
Authenticity Through Art
Authenticity was a paramount brand pillar. So we commissioned Jalisco artist
Emilo Garcia Salazar to bring the brand to life.
Art direction 
KEY BRAND ART
ON-PREMISE PROMOTIONAL ART
TRUE TASTE TASTINGS
The most effective way to prove Trianon’s brand promise was to taste Trianon’s brand promise.
Johnson Group planned tastings in upmarket establishments, developed event training and even staffed the events with our employees. As a focal point of each event, we transformed with unique Trianon bottle into a unique, no-mess delivery system for the Trianon Rub.
Hundreds of consumers experienced the Trianon Rub, and the True Taste of Tequla, at each event.
WE TRANSFORMED THE UNIQUE TRIANON BOTTLE INTO A UNIQUE NO-MESS DELIVERY SYSTEM FOR THE TRIANON RUB.
TELLING THE TRUE STORY ONLINE
The exploration and discovery that defined Trianon’s brand positioning and the development of its brand assets were crafted into a compelling story online.
Results
Trianon was distributed in restaurants and spirits retailers nationwide.
