Tuaca Liqueur Goes 'Beyond the Usual'

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Tuaca, the Brown-Forman liqueur whose roots hail back to the Renaissance, has launched a new "Go Beyond the Usual"-themed, integrated marketing campaign to go along with its recently updated packaging -- both designed to appeal to the spirit's core audience of younger adults seeking a unique, "adventurous" experience.

A blend of Tuscan-style brandies, Madagascar vanilla and distilled essences of Mediterranean oranges and lemons, Tuaca was created in 1938 by Gaetano Tuoni and Giorgio Canepa and distilled in Livorno, Italy, until this year, when Brown-Forman (which acquired the brand and has been importing it since 2004) moved the operation to its Louisville, Ky. headquarters.

With a recipe inspired by one that (legend has it) was created for Lorenzo the Magnificent of the House of Medici, Tuaca's new packaging design (from Minneapolis-based Cue) conveys that history by incorporating the brand's traditional Tuoni & Canepa handwritten script element, its Medici-inspired crest, and another, two-lioned crest referencing Florence's historic guardians and the brand's co-founders.

But the Tuaca name, traditionally horizontal, is now spelled out vertically in a bolder, somewhat contemporized typeface. The overall look is more streamlined, and a new color palette incorporates silver-white (to signify the recommended cold consumption of the liqueur), as well as brown and orange hues representing its citrus/vanilla flavors.

While Brown-Forman is simultaneously marketing the liqueur for mixed drinks and mixed shots, Tuaca is primarily positioned as a shot brand that appeals to young adult consumers, "and we wanted our packaging to reflect that, while still conveying the rich heritage," says Tuaca brand director Monica Garaitonandia.

Also indicative of this young adult-focused appeal: Tuaca recently introduced -- for the time being only on its portable, flask-like 200-ml. size -- the first thermochromic "perfect chill" label seen on a liqueur brand. (The label turns from silver to orange to signify when the liqueur has reached the recommended zero degrees Fahrenheit drinking temperature.)

The brand's "total facelift," appearance-wise, is a key part of an overall "rejuvenation" effort supported by the "Go Beyond the Usual" tagline/theme being communicated across a variety of traditional and non-traditional media/marketing channels, confirms Garaitonandia. "We're conveying the brand's innovative, fun spirit" with the tagline and copy that stresses key words/phrases such as "extraordinary," "discovery" and "spirit of adventure," she notes.

New ads featuring the tagline, from St. Louis-based Boxing Clever, are appearing in local publications in key markets including Colorado and Texas, in trade and trade/consumer media (such as Imbibe), and in out-of-home media such as truck wraps seen in Colorado, Texas and Northern California.

Known as a "bartender brand," Tuaca is also heavily emphasizing outreach to "mixologists" and cocktail bloggers, along with distributor-focused launch events and point-of-purchase promotions around the country.

Given the target audience, digital/social elements are key, of course. The brand has a new themed microsite (gobeyondtheusual.com), currently featuring its new look and info on its history and unique flavor profile. Its main site (tuaca.com) is being redesigned with emphasis on exciting graphics highlighting adventurous activities, interactive features, cocktail recipes and updates on branded special events.

Links into the brand's Facebook fan page, which currently has 4,000+ fans, are prominently displayed in both site areas. The Facebook page features brand- and fan-posted videos and photos; an area specifically for "Tuaca Tenders" (bartenders who register get updates on the latest cultural happenings, travel, style and other topics); and an area devoted to the Tuaca Body Art Ball.

The Tuaca Body Art Ball, a tour now in its sixth year, features a stage show of painted dancers and specialty acts performing synchronized acrobatic routines. This year's tour made stops in nine cities. Tie-ins include an online "Mod Your Bod" app and on-premise promotions at trendy locations in which people can have their photos uploaded/placed on the painted bodies of their choice. The brand also supplies mannequins for decoration by bar/club/restaurant accounts.

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