Ése Tequila ‘Drops’ – Make Your Move

Ése is made for Gen Z & Millennials who move fast, live loud and value standout portable drinks. From festival grounds to corner shop pickups, it fits where bottles can’t. Since the Covid-19 Pandemic, social drinking behaviours have shifted. Consumers are drinking less, looking for higher quality and centering their intake around more meaningful moments – moments that are not prescribed as taking place in a bar or conventional setting. Our consumers are on the move, both literally and figuratively.

With a strong track record across Food & Beverage brand creation, we were approached by dynamic Founder, Lucky Garba, to create the new Tequila brand from the ground up. Following a thorough research phase and the distillation of insights, we created the brand name ‘Ése’; literal translation ‘that’ (Tequila) but derived from Mexican slang, “ese” primarily means “dude,” “guy,” or “that one”. It’s a term of address, often used informally and familiarly among friends, especially in Chicano culture and among Mexican-Americans. For a 50ml pouch that can go anywhere, anytime to celebrate a whole host of moments between friends, it seemed like the perfect-fit. Marketing communciations will lean into various forms of self-expresson and embrce acts of rebellion as a signal that Ése itself is unconventional in its identity, positioning and behaviour.

We embarked on a Brand Identity programme that culminated in the Ése wordmark. The term ‘Drops’ was coined to communciate two-fold, a signal that this Tequila should be sipped rather than shot, savoured and enjoyed. And to facilitate the limited edition product and marketing ‘drops’ that would become synominous with the new brand.

We considered a number of packaging formats that would not only allow the brand to innovate category, but to convey the premium quality of the liquid, be portbale and discreet but importantly, to respect UK Drink Aware guidelines that suggest the package must be resealable and be able to stand-up, both elements key in dissuading ‘shot behaviour’.

We designed the pack graphics after many levels of testing to reveal the product via a clear window and cleverly expose elements of the substrate’s foil core to provide a premium look and feel.

Consumers gravitate to brands and products that have a strong origin story and authenticity, but with a landscape that was being filled with celebrity Tequila brands, all of whom, almost without exception, keen to push disengenuous tales of Mexican farmers and lifelong appreciation of the agave plant, we wanted to ensure Ése could stand by its story and cut through the noise. The genesis of the product concept began in London and how the ritualistic consumption of alcohol was linked to the Founder’s own experiences with friends at key moments in their inner-city lifestyle. Together we created a messaging matrix to communicate in a range of context. Central to that is London Expression: the backbone of the brand’s positioning, rooted in and celebrating the City’s vibrant culture, creativity and rebellious nature.

Jay co-wrote, produced and Directed the brand’s debut Film, The Drop, a fun and edgy piece that tells the story of one man’s determination to stop the new Ése product from reaching the streets. Filmed across Soho and featuring a host of exciting characters and soundtrack ‘Drip’ by London artist Janset. Shot by reknowned DoP Stuart Graham. Our contribution was a fundamental driver of the brand’s valuation to £3m before a single product was sold.