Project brief: SKYY Spirits purchased Espolón, an award-winning tequila with little awareness in the U.S. market. Their goal was to reintroduce the brand in a crowded premium segment.

Approach: Through consumer insights we learned that the market was oversaturated with tequilas that tell the same stories of heritage and agave-growing techniques. We also learned that consumers were looking for a product that felt real, a product that depicted real life in Mexico. The new brand was inspired by the original Posada engravings that told real stories of the struggles and social injustices in Mexico. We created six different scenes that depicted moments in history and in everyday life in Mexico. The name Espolón refers to the spur of a rooster. To give relevance to an existing name, we created a rooster, Ramón, named after the master distiller. Ramón is a key participant in every story, always appearing in an unexpected manner.

Effectiveness: Espolón is a brand that breaks away from distilleries and heritage messages, one that engages audiences by depicting real Mexican life. Its living identity works as a series of labels depicting stories of joy, social struggles and real life in Mexico, which will continue to change over time, keeping the brand fresh and real.

It launched on Cinco de Mayo.

Day of the Dead illustrations in stark black and white deliver a powerful cultural communication.