JUNE 2019 | MARKETWATCHMAG.COM | MARKET WATCH 23BRAND WATCH mw
Grey Goose
Bacardi recently launched “Live Victoriously,” a new platform for Grey Goose vodka ($30 a 750-ml.).
The investment marks a 44% spending increase for Grey Goose in the U.S., according to the brand, which
last year spent $12.6 million on media advertising. The new programming combines a national print
campaign—running in lifestyle titles like Rolling Stone and Esquire—as well as digital, television, and
social media activations. The effort is aimed at promoting Grey Goose in everyday occasions that are more
accessible for consumers, as opposed to the brand’s luxury-focused campaigns of the past. “The ethos
behind Live Victoriously is that every single moment has the potential to be a lifelong memory, so why
not spend a few dollars more and treat yourself?” says Grey Goose global CMO Lee Applbaum. The new
platform is a reset for the brand following a challenging decade—Applbaum notes that over the last ten
years, consumers have shifted away from Grey Goose, despite its quality. Live Victoriously marks Grey
Goose’s bid to reconnect with consumers at the gut level and become a viable option across more diverse
occasions. The new campaign is slated to be a long-term commitment, and it comes after a period in which
the brand debuted roughly one new campaign annually for a decade. Grey Goose depleted 2.3 million
cases in the U.S. last year, according to Impact Databank, down from 3 million cases in 2010.
Shane English
Justin Vineyards & Winery
Paso Robles, California-based Justin Vineyards & Winery has seen its profile rise in recent years, with
volume reaching approximately 275,000 cases in 2018. Justin earned its second consecutive Impact “Hot
Brand” honor this year, after roughly tripling in size since 2010. The brand is part of The Wonderful Co.,
owned by Stewart and Lynda Resnick, whose portfolio also includes Fiji Water, Pom Wonderful, and other
labels. The Justin range is led by its flagship Isosceles label, a Bordeaux-style blend that retails at $76 a
750-ml. and saw 30,000 cases produced for the 2016 vintage. “Isosceles is what we’ve built our reputation
on,” says winemaker Scott Shirley. “It helped establish Paso Robles as a great region for luxury Cabernet
Sauvignon and Bordeaux varieties.” While Isosceles is the winery’s calling card, most of its volume comes
from its Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon, which does around 150,000 cases and retails at $27. The port-
folio also attracts newer wine drinkers with its range of entry-level whites and rosé, which begin at $20.
Looking forward, Shirley says the winery will boost its higher-end offerings, which include a variety of red
bottlings beyond Isosceles. Among them are Justification ($60), a blend of Cabernet Franc and Merlot;
Savant ($50), a blend of Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon; and Isosceles Reserve ($105), which sees more
extended aging than its flagship counterpart. mw
Shane English
Rabbit Hole
Amid Kentucky’s Bourbon investment boom, new distilleries are emerging at a rapid clip. One of the emerg-
ing players is Rabbit Hole, which opened an $18 million, 55,000-square-foot distillery in downtown Louis-
ville last year. The new facility features a tasting bar and private event space, and also offers tours. Rabbit
Hole founder and CEO Kaveh Zamanian says the company is expanding its namesake label into new markets
this year, while simultaneously using its extra distilling capacity—now 1.2-million proof gallons, or about
20,000 barrels—to produce spirits for other brands. The Rabbit Hole label, which is currently available in
14 markets, will expand into five new states by mid-2019. With volume at around 8,500 cases, Rabbit Hole
has seen off-premise accounts drive growth; increasing its on-premise profile is a key goal for the distillery
moving forward. This summer, the brand is set to release a high-rye Bourbon made with malted rye. “In time,
consumers will grow in sophistication and better understand the differences between a high-rye Bourbon, a
malted-rye Bourbon, and a wheated Bourbon,” Zamanian says. “That’s the direction for American whiskey.
I’m putting my money on differentiated mashbills, rather than just blending.” The high-rye Bourbon will
join a Kentucky Straight Bourbon ($50), Kentucky Straight rye ($60), PX Sherry Cask-Finished Straight
Bourbon ($80), and Kentucky Rye Barrel-Finished London Dry gin ($35) in the Rabbit Hole portfolio.
Shane English