Industry
Services
The Challenge
In 2010, Fireball had stagnant sales and no online presence. The product faced heavy competition from big-name brands and had no buy-in from bartenders or distributors. Consumers were unfamiliar with the product and ways to enjoy it. Zehnder was tapped to help Sazerac introduce the product to consumers in key U.S. markets and make it a go-to shot in bars domestically and internationally.
The Strategy
Zehnder’s activation team generated brand awareness through social media outreach and grassroots events in target markets. We aligned ourselves with bartenders through a brand ambassador program and worked with local social media influencers to amplify Fireball’s digital reach. By steering clear of the typical “shot girl” approach in favor of a more authentic brand introduction experience at popular bars worldwide, we built a base of dedicated brand evangelists eager to share Fireball with their friends.
Zehnder’s social media team carefully crafted the brand voice of Fireball: refreshingly honest, smart-mouthed, and even downright rude at times (without overstepping industry marketing regulations, of course).
Our digital department incorporated Fireball “swagger” into every pixel of the custom website we designed and built for the brand, with a recipe database of 100+ cocktails we developed and photographed in-house, plus content marketing and e-commerce sections.
The Results
As Fireball continued to grow, marketing goals shifted from brand awareness to audience engagement. Zehnder ignited more than a million Fireball followers through authentic social media, blog, and email content.
Dive in with Z
Zehnder is always on the lookout for great collaborators. From clients aspiring to drive sustainable growth to fresh talent hoping to join the team, we welcome you to drop us a line. We’ll be in touch!
