by Elyse Glickman / photos by John Curley
 |
Over the last few years, Tequila REVOLUCION’s stirrings in the beverage industry and growth as a brand have been as carefully developed as their Extra Añejo. While the quality of the portfolio and its brand-defining bottle have given it “go-to” status among buyers and bartenders, REVOLUCION USA Sales Director Lisa Wells states that its newly-minted status as a 2013 Gold Medal winner at this year’s San Francisco World Spirits Competition has increased its currency in the marketplace.
“The accomplishment gives the brand an opportunity to add important third- party validation into their messaging, and it also provides us excellent materials for our social media and promotional efforts,” Wells says. “REVOLUCION’s objective all along has been to show the world how fine tequila should be created and like the other awards we have received, our latest win is a validation of our efforts. However, this medal is all the more special because it is the first our Extra Añejo has achieved internationally since its launch about a year ago.”
Recent improvements made within the distillery, mean- while, enhance the brand’s quality claims. “We have always been ‘non- officially’ organic, and devoted our production to obtaining the most truthful flavor of agave in our tequilas,” Wells explains. “We have grown our own plants without artificial fertilizers or pesticides, and are also against the use of artificial accelerators or flavor enhancers. While the core of our tequila production process was already compliant with Organic standards and regulations of the USDA and EU, final certifications helped us raise public awareness about our commitment to flavor, as well as our environment impact, while making conscious changes with other aspects of our production.”
Another part of the brand’s willing formula is its bottle, which Wells says visually represents the core value of the brand: to bring a superb experience to all the senses in every REVOLUCION sip, and the bottle plays a key part on this, its distinctive hallmarks include the ergonomics of the bottle, ease of opening bottle and the aesthetics of the bottle’s curves and design.
“We want our philosophy to be as clear to as many people as possible,” she says. “The way we came up with our distinctive bottle was to incorporate the standard 11⁄2-ounce measurement for drinks seamlessly into its design. It makes it easier for on-premise accounts to keep track of the amount of tequila consumed from each bottle. This way, they are less reluctant to leave our bottles at the customers’ tables.”
The bottle, no doubt, lends itself not only to eye-catching promotional materials for on-premise but also off-premise. Wells points out that there are gift sets offered throughout the year that will pique the interest of both casual drinkers and aficionados.
“The design is bold, masculine and brilliantly on trend,” says Jay Bordeleau, managing owner of Maven, one of Tequila REVOLUCION’s top accounts in San Francisco. “The packaging offers clear visual distinction among ages expres- sions and is very recognizable with its broad shelf stature. For our restaurant, as organic food has become the expecta- tion from our customers, trying to fulfill this expectation on the spirits side is challenging, especially if you’re talking agave spirits. Customers want a tequila that respects both the land and production process. REVOLUCION’s boldness is not only apparent in its packaging, but also in the honesty and transparency of its ethics.”
Wells, meanwhile, points out that the growing female tequila audience and their embrace of REVOLUCION adds extra momentum to the brand’s already successful marketing efforts. “Women feel comfortable drinking it straight or as part of a cocktail, which compared to other spirits, is fewer in calories and very mixable in numerous recipes,” she adds. “We are very glad that the tequila category is enjoying a new popularity among women because we can present REVOLUCION to women as a better option for their natu- rally more sensitive taste buds.”
