Client: Cumbé Aguardiente
25k+ bottles of Aguardiente sold in the first two years
Results:
More than 25,000 bottles sold
Catering to 1,500 POS across 26 states
252.3% CAGR throughout 2019-2022
180% YoY social media follower growth
Scope:
Consulting / Content Strategy / Social Media / Graphic Design / In-Store Material Development / Packaging / Copywriting / Short Form Video Production / Photoshoot Management / Influencers / Brand Partnerships / Paid Ads / Event Sourcing and Event Broadcasting
The Challenge
Cumbé is the first true craft and premium aguardiente crafted in Colombia's Andes mountains. Its unique blend of Pimpinella anise and sugarcane creates a taste that captures the essence of Colombia's vibrant culture. While Cumbé is now available in the US and other markets, the spirit faces a challenge: most people are unfamiliar with aguardiente. When the company introduced the brand to the US, people were unsure how to enjoy it. The category is still very niche, low-end and unknown around the world. They needed brand positioning, awareness, and the means to educate and find their customers.
The Solution
On a mission to show the magic of aguardiente to the world, our team brought Cumbé's brand identity to life by raising awareness and educating potential customers about this unique spirit. In three years, we crafted a dynamic marketing strategy that spanned social media, influencers, and Hispanic community events, where aguardiente is more well-known. We developed vital content highlighting aguardiente's history and cultural significance in Colombia, helping Cumbé establish itself as a premium aguardiente in the US market and beyond.
Phase 1: BRAND ALIGNMENT
We developed a ground-up design strategy that communicated the brand's value proposition consistently across all touchpoints. We created new sales materials, investor presentations, event flyers, booth designs, and more, ensuring that every element accurately conveyed the brand's message and resonated with its target audience. Our efforts resulted in a 198% increase in brand recognition and a 34% uplift in purchase intent.
On-brand packaging:
Our team designed a range of graphic elements, from high-end PR boxes distributed to over 100 influencers to fun branded merchandise that was sold at events or given as part of a promotion, helping elevate the brand's image and enhancing its marketing efforts.
Captivating investor deck:
Our team supported Cumbé's CEO fundraising efforts by designing a captivating company deck that combined stunning graphics, simple graphs, and powerful storytelling
Phase 2: STRONG SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE
Our strategic use of social media for brand awareness and education purposes proved instrumental in driving customers to local Total Wine stores to purchase Cumbé's bottles and in uncovering new customer segments. Through this approach, we were able to lock in strong business partnerships with key wine and spirits distributors across 26 different US states, paving the way for the brand's future growth and expansion. Cumbé’s social media had 180% follower growth YoY.
Strategic brand partnerships and influencers:
We collaborated with renowned content creators from the wine and spirits industry, as well as notable Latin celebrities and iconic figures from the entertainment industry to promote awareness about the Aguardiente category. Thanks to these fruitful partnerships, our content reached over 3,000,000 accounts, helping to raise awareness and interest in Aguardiente. In addition, we seized co-branding opportunities by partnering with Mojo Donuts, a popular food chain in Miami to create mouth-watering Aguardiente-infused donuts. We also joined forces with Tragos to develop an engaging drinking game. These innovative initiatives provided memorable experiences for consumers.
Phase 3: PAID ADVERTISING
When considering ways to attract new customers, we turned to Facebook as a powerful tool to identify people who match specific demographics or interests. To achieve this, we utilized data from our trained Pixel, which was embedded on our client's website. This allowed us to find lookalike audiences based on our client's existing customer base, as well as to utilize Facebook's marketing algorithm to identify potential customers with similar interests. These tactics proved to be highly effective, resulting in a 3X return on ad spend and an 18% increase in average order value.
Phase 4: OFFLINE ACTIVATIONS
Our team actively sought out opportunities to establish a brand presence at large-scale events with a significant Latino community presence. We were the main sponsor of the Colombian Independence Day Festival, where hundreds of thousands of attendees enjoyed our product, Cumbé, while dancing and celebrating. Additionally, we set up minibars at Holiday Markets, catered Pride Month parties with Aguardiente-infused paletas and signature drinks, and created an "Instagrammable" moment with our popular "Casita" installation. By strategically participating in these events, we were able to effectively reach our target audience and increase brand awareness. Our presence at these events also helped to establish our brand as a fun and exciting option for those seeking quality beverages and unique experiences.
