Evan Williams: Kentucky First Distiller Introduction into Collegiate Sports

CHALLENGE

Evan Williams, Kentucky’s First Distiller, has deep roots in the American Bourbon category, but the brand needed to attract new drinkers without alienating loyalists. Knowing we had to explore new media programs, there was an opportunity in launching a new campaign with our college sports program “Bourbon Nation” which celebrates the real passion, rituals, and traditions of college sports fandoms. With our recent sponsorship of eight NCAA college teams and signing a multi-year partnership with ESPN sideline reporter Molly McGrath, the program provided the perfect springboard for Evan Williams’ brand story to be heard.

INSIGHT / BEHAVIORAL UNLOCK

A common trait within Evan Williams drinkers is they don’t need flashy packaging or inflated prices. They want a whiskey that shows up honest, delivers on taste, and doesn’t put on an act — reinforcing the simple idea that Evan Williams is “Where Bourbon Begins” consistently can drive not only more familiarity with the brand but preference over time.

As an everyman brand, Evan Williams is anchored in community and affiliation — by aligning with college sports and fandoms around teams, we are able to extend our EW community through shared language, symbols, rituals with college sports fans.

Aligning with this common value and their shared love of sports, we leveraged In-Group Signaling to communicate shared identity with a shared group.

SOLUTION

We set out to show Evan Williams as the past, present, and future standard bearer for the category. It’s not just about acknowledging our roots as Kentucky’s First Distiller; it’s about maintaining quality, consistency and a sense of authenticity with every new batch. Plain and simple.

“Where Bourbon Begins” communicates a real, grounded sense of place. Our campaign photography finds true beauty in the authentic, unvarnished spaces with emphasis placed on natural lighting and atmospheric textures. These palettes represent the main spaces or touchpoints at the core of the Bourbon making process: where one could argue that “Bourbon Begins.” We transferred this approach to a new brand spot, point-of-sale, and a website refresh that highlights the quality of Evan Williams.

“Bourbon Nation” further solidifies its position within the sports arena with activations in stadiums and tailgates for our 8 teams. Everything is brought to life with a younger consumer in mind as we are tapping into college sports traditions and celebrating fandom.

outcome

“Where Bourbon Begins” created an exceptional launching point for the brand to tap new consumers especially with “Bourbon Nation.” Evan Williams is the first national Bourbon brand to step into the collegiate space, forging a broad-reaching partnership that included top school properties and media channels for the 2024-2025 school year.