Case Study: Opportunity, Strategy, GTM for an Emerging Tequila Brand
Introduction: The Vision and the Challenge
In 2024, I partnered with an emerging tequila brand to craft an investment opportunity, develop a compelling brand strategy, and launch two distinct go-to-market (GTM) plans: one for a refined, hibiscus-infused Blanco Rosado tequila and another for a bold, category-defining Peanut Butter tequila. My objective was clear, establish these products as premium, disruptive players in their respective markets, driving consumer demand and brand loyalty.
But here's the kicker: despite creating a comprehensive, execution-ready strategy, these initiatives were never activated due to a failure on the founders’ part to fulfill their basic business, financial and operational obligations. The good news? The strategic frameworks remain a testament to my expertise, ready to be leveraged by the right partners or organizations seeking game-changing brand leadership. Whether you're a brand seeking strategic expertise or a company looking for a VP of Marketing who actually delivers results, this case study is proof of my ability to architect and execute brand success.
The Investment Opportunity: A Billion Dollar Vision in Premium Tequila
In 2024, I authored an investment opportunity deck to position an emerging tequila brand as the next major player in the premium tequila space. The vision was clear: create a billion-dollar brand by capturing emerging market trends, disrupting legacy competitors, and unlocking new consumer segments.
Investment Highlights:
Funding Objective: Raise $10M in capital to scale brand marketing, expand distribution, and optimize production.
Target Valuation: $1B in 5 years, $10B in 10 years.
Market Differentiation:
Blanco Rosado Tequila: The first premium rosé-style tequila, targeting women aged 25-50, a massively underserved segment in the tequila realm.
Peanut Butter Tequila: The only 100% agave peanut butter tequila fully produced in Mexico, designed to steal market share from the booming flavored whiskey category.
Why Investors Should Have Backed This Brand:
Category Disruption: The ONLY peanut butter tequila on the market (Category of One) produced in Mexico (currently all competitors are mixtos or tequila brought over the border to be mixed in the US).
Female Purchasing Power: Women drive 85% of alcohol purchases; Rosado tequila was positioned to dominate.
Massive Growth Potential: The global tequila market is projected to hit $18.58B by 2032, with premium & additive-free tequila leading the charge. The only spirit not slowing due to economic tension.
Built-in Distribution & Manufacturing: Fully operational production in Jalisco, with secured import partnerships in key U.S. states.
Market Sizing & Revenue Forecasts:
Total Addressable Market (TAM): $7.5B
Serviceable Available Market (SAM): $1.9B
Serviceable Obtainable Market (SOM): $93.9M/year
Competitive Advantage:
Patrón & Don Julio own the high-end tequila space, but they aren’t innovating.
Casamigos built an empire off influencer appeal, this brand was poised to do the same, but with real product differentiation and less additives/sugar.
Skrewball dominates peanut butter whiskey, yet no 100% blue agave peanut butter tequila produced in Mexico actually exists.
The goal was simple: redefine premium tequila by merging tradition with bold innovation.
The Brand Strategy: Differentiating in a Saturated Market
The Challenge: The tequila market is flooded with legacy brands, each claiming heritage, craftsmanship, and smoothness. This emerging brand had to stand out, not just exist.
The Answer: A multi-tiered brand strategy balancing authentic heritage, aspirational luxury, and disruptive innovation.
From/To Transformation
Moving From:
Being an unknown choice in the U.S. spirits market, seeking recognition and trust among discerning women.
Moving To:
Becoming the go-to spirit that elevates every occasion, positioning consumers as tastemakers with sophisticated palates and an eye for the extraordinary, enhancing their social influence and perception among friends
Brand Purpose: A Call to Adventure
This brand wasn’t just a tequila, it was a movement. I crafted the brand as an invitation to adventure, celebration, and connection, rooted in Mexico’s rich heritage yet bold enough to innovate beyond it.
Brand Positioning Statement:
<Emerging Tequila Brand> is more than tequila, it’s a celebration of bold innovation and authentic Mexican craftsmanship. Rooted in tradition, but made for today, our tequila blends superior quality with unexpected flavors, creating an experience that turns any moment into something unforgettable. Designed for those who crave both adventure and elegance, <Emerging Tequila Brand> delivers premium tequila that feels exclusive yet remains within reach.
Key Differentiators:
Blanco Rosado Tequila: A category-creating Rosado tequila infused with hibiscus, raspberry, and strawberry, appealing to women aged 25-55 who value elegance and unique experiences.
Peanut Butter Tequila: A first-of-its-kind fusion targeting men aged 21-50, leveraging the booming flavored spirits trend with nightlife-driven brand positioning.
"Obtainable Luxury": Positioning the brand as premium, yet not exclusive, ensuring widespread accessibility without sacrificing aspiration.
Emotional Connection: This isn’t just a drink, it’s a lifestyle statement.
Market Insights:
Women influence 85% of alcohol purchases in the U.S. - Blanco Rosado was designed for them.
The flavored spirits category is growing 15%+ YOY - Peanut Butter Tequila was positioned to capitalize.
Consumers equate low price with low quality - I addressed this by emphasizing obtainability rather than affordability.
The Strategy in Action
I approached each product through a unique lens, balancing market trends, competitive landscapes, and deep consumer insights to craft two highly differentiated brand narratives.
Blanco Rosado Tequila: A Premium Experience for the Modern Female Consumer
Positioning: A sophisticated, aesthetically driven tequila for women aged 25-55 who seek an elevated social experience. Think "the spirit of choice for a next-level brunch or celebratory toast."
Market Insight: The Rosado tequila market was projected at $330M in 2024, with significant growth potential due to increasing demand for premium, differentiated spirits. Female consumers, wielding 85% of purchasing power in the U.S., were an untapped segment for high-end tequila.
Strategy Highlights:
Hyper-focused brand persona: Positioning Rosado as an aspirational lifestyle choice, integrating elegance, vibrancy, and influence into its messaging.
GTM Strategy: Targeting Florida, Nevada, Colorado, and Louisiana first, using influencer-led advocacy and experiential marketing to generate FOMO-driven demand.
Emotional Buy-in: Instead of just selling tequila, I was looking to sell a lifestyle, “This is the bottle you want your friends to see at your table.”
Category Disruption: Elevating Rosado tequila from a niche indulgence to a staple in the premium spirits rotation.
A well-crafted brand is nothing without a killer go-to-market strategy. Here’s how I planned to launch:
Blanco Rosado Tequila: The Feminine Luxe Disruptor
Audience: Women 25-55, cocktail enthusiasts, socialites
Launch Regions: Florida, California, Nevada, Louisiana (high tequila-consumption states and states where we secured solid distribution and retail partners)
GTM Strategy:
Influencer-led demand generation leveraging social media creators who align with the brand’s aspirational yet accessible luxury.
Experience-first marketing curated "Rosado Affair" field marketing and brunch events in high-end venues.
Premium packaging as a status symbol Designed for Instagrammability, ensuring it becomes the tequila people want on their tables and are proud to share.
Competitive Differentiation:
Positioned against Casamigos, Lalo & Patrón, but with a unique, elegant pink aesthetic and floral-forward taste that no competitor offered.
Created "luxury at an obtainable price", not overpriced, not mass-market.
Peanut Butter Tequila: Flipping Tradition on Its Head
Positioning: Not your grandpa’s tequila. No Way Jose. A rebellious, indulgent, and "WTF-is-this-deliciousness" experience for men aged 21-40, specifically targeting nightlife enthusiasts, gamers, and risk-takers.
Market Insight: The flavored spirits category was booming, with peanut butter whiskey leading the charge. However, tequila remained largely untouched, an opportunity to create a category-defining product. Skrewball, the dominant peanut butter whiskey, had proven the market viability, leaving space for a tequila challenger.
Strategy Highlights:
Disruptive Brand Voice: “Go Ahead, Go Nuts.” A brand that doesn’t just push boundaries, but obliterates them.
Target Market: Gamers, partygoers, and unconventional spirits enthusiasts who crave bold new experiences.
Competitive Playbook: Head-to-head differentiation against peanut butter whiskey, leveraging tequila’s authenticity and superior quality.
Cult-Building Tactics: Jägermeister-style brand affinity, driven by exclusive tastings, viral challenges, and social-proofed content from niche influencers.
Peanut Butter Tequila: The Bold Nightlife Disruptor
Audience: Men 21-40, nightlife enthusiasts, risk-takers
Launch Regions: Texas, California, Las Vegas, Chicago (bar/nightclub-heavy markets)
GTM Strategy:
High-energy activations – exclusive "Go Nuts" challenge nights in bars & clubs.
Gaming & sports integration – partnerships with eSports, Gaming, UFC events, and tailgate parties.
Bold, edgy brand voice – “PB: Go Ahead, Go Nuts.”
Competitive Playbook: Differentiated against Skrewball (whiskey) by emphasizing tequila's authenticity & superior quality and Maniball (US mixed peanut butter tequila) by highlighting the fact that this is the only PB tequila produced in Mexico.
Why It Would Have Worked:
Flavored whiskey was already a $1B+ category - tequila had zero competitors in this 100% Mexican produced peanut butter tequila space. (and yes, I crafted insights work where I found out that our audience actually cares where tequila is produced.)
Skrewball's success proved consumer demand - our tequila was positioned to convert their audience.
The Impact: What This Means for Future Brands
Even though these strategies were never activated (shoutout to non-paying founders), they remain blueprints for success in the spirits industry, proven, insight-driven approaches that any brand can adapt and execute.
What I Bring to the Table:
Expertise in category creation, market positioning, and emotional brand-building.
A deep understanding of consumer psychology, translating insights into scalable revenue-driving strategies.
GTM execution plans that balance B2B distribution with hyper-targeted DTC experiences.
The Missed Opportunity & The Lesson
Why It Didn’t Launch: Despite a fully developed brand strategy, the founders failed to secure funding and did not honor financial and operational commitments. While the execution stalled, the strategy itself remains ready for any brand looking to disrupt the industry.
What This Proves:
My ability to craft investment-worthy brand narratives – translating market data into a compelling case for funding.
My expertise in launching category-breaking products – whether within a startup or an established portfolio.
The importance of founder due diligence – a lesson in selecting partners who can execute and fund their vision. You learn something new with every experience!
What’s Next? Let’s Make It Happen
This isn’t just a tequila story, it’s a masterclass in brand-building, GTM execution, and consumer psychology.
Looking for a VP of Marketing who can craft, position, and launch game-changing brands?
Need a strategic partner who can take a your brand from concept to activation and beyond?
Seeking category disruption in a stagnant market?
Whether you're a brand looking for a VP of Marketing who can actually move the needle, or an investor seeking a high-impact strategist, let’s connect. This case study isn’t just about tequila, it’s about my ability to create demand, build brands across multiple categories, and execute visionary strategies that drive market disruption.
Hit me up. Let’s talk.