Remember when moonshine was whatever country folks brewed up — in their backyard? Yeah, we don’t either. Through field marketing, Brand Activate and Ole Smoky Moonshine did more than create brand recognition, we generated overall category growth.
Capitalizing on the increased interest in American whiskey, we designed programs to increase sales, create sustainable distribution, and make people aware of both Ole Smoky and Moonshine as a subset of American whiskey.
Ole Smoky Moonshine Meets Brand Activate
Ole Smoky Moonshine came to Brand Activate with a big charge: the management of a $1.5 million budget, including promotional spending, for all sales teams nationally. We were more than up to the challenge.
We hired, trained, and managed a field marketing team to focus on target markets. At the same time, we created a calendar of seasonal and annual sales programs for the Ole Smoky Moonshine sales team, developing resources and assisting them in execution.
Along the way, we designed and implemented:
- A cocktail strategy
- A shot strategy
- A volume service program
- Multiple engaging promotions
- An improved point-of-sale (POS) system
- Improved logistics resource management
- Best practices for event staffing and vetting, hiring and training of promotional models
Together, we exceeded every goal we set out to accomplish. Of course, it didn’t hurt that we had an exceptional product to work with.
Southern Charm Meets Professional Field Marketing
Ole Smoky’s brand persona combines folksy playfulness, expertise in distilling, and a coy refinement. Their unique moonshine blend imbues everything from its name to its packaging to its creatives. We knew that the personal touches involved in experiential marketing would fit the brand and support its growth.
Our field marketing managers were tasked with multiple key performance indicators to monitor and improve. These included:
- New distribution
- Case sales
- Staff training
- Promotions
- Account support
- Menu placements
- Visibility at POS
- Events
They did Brand Activate proud, expanding the reach of Ole Smoky Moonshine and increasing its presence, volume, and sales.
An incredible set of cocktail recipes allowed Brand Activate to get onto menus across the country.
We also worked closely with the Ole Smoky sales team. We designed kits to fit each type of program they sold into accounts, complete with POS, managed bar nights, and powerful promotions. We then booked their events, shipped their kits, and provided recap information and messaging for each account. As for those accounts, we created and managed a communication chain that provided each location with vital materials.
In short, we achieved all of our objectives and were able to deliver a completed program under budget. When striving for a goal, Brand Activate prefers to surpass it.
Tennessee Meets the Rest of the Nation
There was nothing folksy about the results. Our nationwide field marketing program resulted in:
- Full-time field marketing managers in 13 key markets
- Brand ambassador staffing in 30 markets
- Six seasonal programs executed annually
- 1,235 national promotions
- 300 new points of distribution
- 2,560 bar nights and promotions
- 780 menu placements
- 9,920 account visits
- 7,630 staff trainings
- 3,360 social media posts
Sales and marketing personnel engaged in an incredible amount of work, getting the product to the right places and people in the right ways — and all of this work paid off.
Healthy social media accounts help Ole Smoky maximize the power of field marketing.
We helped Ole Smoky Moonshine reach and provide samples to more than 300,000 consumers. Their tasty moonshine whiskey gained a whole new audience. Its reach continues to grow, as Old Smoky finds more new drinkers ready for a different kind of whiskey.
What Field Marketing Goals Do You Want to Meet?
Ole Smoky Moonshine and Brand Activate were a match made in heaven. They brought a superior product and impressive ambition to the match. As for us, we brought several things to this mammoth undertaking, including experience in:
- POS design
- Supply chain management
- Event staffing agencies
- Event planning and marketing
- Training promotional models and other staff
- Sales account management
- Menu placements and bar nights
- Best practices for demonstrations and the distribution of samples
We’re proud of our successful collaboration.
So how can we leverage our expertise on your behalf and meet your objectives? What are the programs and promotions that we can design to help you get more out of your accounts and reach new ones?
Let’s find out together. Contact us with any questions or if you want a quote.