Spirits Case Study

BoxUp Bolsters High-End Spirits

With craft, niche and various high-end liquor sales booming, the competition is growing both colorful and fierce. Creative folks who put hard work into products they can be proud of also have good reason to seek out ways to help those same products stand out the way they should. Brewers pulling together complex combinations of hops and barley, vintners carefully blending their crop and distillers sharing their art with the angels all know that theirs is a labor of love. Whether cultivating a startup or creating a personal gift, the people behind these high-end spirits require a way to bring their hard work into the world in the style it deserves.

Proper packaging isn’t just a nice thing to do; it’s a basic survival technique in a challenging and mercurial market, and art within the bottle is best honored by the art of its case. After all, most people have memories of that “one” drink they’ll never touch again, and likely the cheap packaging will forever guide their choices when looking for something more refined. Growing up means making better choices, and better choices mean better taste. People have strong opinions about what they drink. Do we drink with our eyes first? Perhaps we do!

1. Small Batch Success: 7th & 70

The Products: Custom-crafted bourbon blends, devised by Wayne Bower, owner of 7th & 70 Liquors

The Challenge: Framing hand-picked whiskey blends in a way that reflects quality; making his store a pacesetter among other liquor stores

The Story: Mr. Bower had been making a special blend of whiskey through Woodford Reserve’s custom blending program for his store each year, but noticed the appeal created by a beautiful custom box by observing another local product. Inspired, he decided his own whiskey should reflect the same elegance, and so designed a custom box to encase the unique bourbon. Buoyed by the success with this product in its BoxUp box, he went on to create a Father’s Day gift box of Old Forester Kentucky Straight bourbon. The result: a beautiful display of whiskey, fit to give as an impressive gift. Mr. Bower’s careful packaging has resulted not only in a reflection of pride in these specific products, but sets the tone overall for his store. He is a man who does much more than order and sell cases of whatever; he is invested in the art behind a good drink, and those who come into his store will see that whether they opt to buy those specific products or not.

2. Artisanal, Niche and Growing: Pennington Distilling Co.

The Products: Various liqueurs, flavored and unflavored whiskeys and vodka, cordials

The Challenge: Promoting niche, artisanal products on a competitive scene

The Story: Jenny Pennington started with a distillery called SPEAKeasy Spirits, but her creative drive led to expansion, and Pennington Distilling Co. was born. The artisans at Pennington have been working hard to develop a variety of unique flavor combinations with their quality spirits, and the whiskey coming from Pennington is far from your grandpa’s rye. A colorful array of flavored and unflavored liqueurs have been streaming from Pennington, especially their flagship product: Whisper Creek Tennessee Sipping Cream, American bourbon’s answer to the challenge of Irish cream. In order to reach new customers and grow her industry, Jenny took a selection of products to Vegas to show them off and get the word out about her brand. Four, six-ounce bottles (enough to share…or not!), nestled inside a lovely gift box made a beautiful appeal to regional distributers seeking potential new products to carry. It wasn’t the first time Jenny used a custom BoxUp box to share her products, but it was memorable. By handing out these sampler boxes, Pennington Distilling Co made a big debut where it matters, in a style that won’t easily be forgotten—or dismissed.

3. Branding, with Class: Branded Gifts Plus

The Products: Gift sets of beer and pilsner glass, branded for a client

The Challenge: Creating a unique, but classy, gift to reflect branding prowess

The Story: Branded Gifts Plus is already aware of the importance of first impressions, being in a marketing sector. When they wanted to create something to show appreciation, they decided to create a gift set. This set, however, went above and beyond the norm of more basic gear like office supplies or apparel. By pairing a craft beer with the branded glass and packaging in a clean, branded box, they set a high bar for both elevated style and that personal touch. Creating a tangible way to connect delight and enjoyment of a product with a brand will always make a lasting impression.

Overall Results:

In each of these cases, whether clients were behind the creation of the spirits or not, quality, custom packaging was able to set an appropriate tone for success. In each instance, the box was able to communicate to customers how deeply invested was each party in their work. Patrons of 7th & 70 Liquors will attest to the uniquely personal experience of shopping in Wayne Bower’s store, and will return to shop there to form a strong relationship between customer and store-owner. Jenny Pennington has been able to expand her product line and promote awareness of her high-end spirits. Making an impression with her products in a booming bourbon scene has proven priceless. By reaching out to clients in a way that cultivates an expectation for personal investment and creative thinking, Branded Gifts Plus was able to use BoxUp boxes to create an unforgettable experience that will keep clients returning for more. It stands to reason that crafters of high-end spirits can find no end of potential uses for custom packaging: releasing new flavors or blends with fanfare, pairing products with themed cookbooks to drum up demand, or creating any combination of gift box sets to keep customers on their toes. When it comes to the competitive world of spirits, high-end packaging makes a very real impact for those high-end products.FacebookTwitterMore