WhistlePig Case Study
Dittoe PR Drives Dank Results for a New Kind of Dry January
Dry January is so 2022. With consumers leaning away from Dry January to follow more mindful drinking habits, WhistlePig Whiskey sought to create the best of both worlds with a limited-time non-alcoholic cocktail made with non-psychoactive cannabis terpenes. But to disrupt a social movement as established as Dry January, WhistlePig would need a partner to culture-jack the post-holiday tradition and appeal to new audiences with ever-changing preferences. (And did we mention it was also a fundraiser to benefit bartenders?) Dittoe PR was happy to light up the media.
Challenge
Dry January is a social movement that encourages consumers to abstain from drinking alcohol following the indulgent (and often boozy) holiday season. For whiskey brands and bartenders, Dry January doesn’t drive many sales. However, Dry January seems to be past its prime with consumers leaning away from a strictly dry January to follow more mindful drinking trends such as “Damp January” and the rising popularity of “California Sober” – abstaining from alcohol and drugs except for marijuana. In true “why not both” fashion, WhistlePig saw an opportunity to pair its 100% Rye Non-Whiskey with the distinctive flavor and aroma of everyone’s best bud.
Enter: WhistlePig’s Limited Edition Dank & Dry Old Fashioned Cocktail. Made with 100% Rye Non-Whiskey, WhistlePig’s signature Barrel-Aged Maple Syrup, and non-psychoactive Vermont Cannabis Terpenes, the Dank & Dry Old Fashioned was set to release in January 2024 for a good cause.
100% of the proceeds from the Dank & Dry Old Fashioned sales would benefit bartenders through Turning Tables, a New Orleans-based non-profit that seeks to cultivate leadership, create real opportunity, and change the face of hospitality by establishing a model and standard for equitable access for the Black and Brown hospitality community of New Orleans.
Now it was Dittoe Public Relations’ turn to distill all of this into an intriguing media relations campaign to secure new, mainstream media to illustrate the intersection between non-alcoholic (N/A) spirits and cannabis while also highlighting how WhistlePig is keyed into and able to adapt to consumers’ changing preferences and trends.
Solution
Dittoe PR launched the Dank January campaign on Jan. 1, 2024, with a press release sticky-icky with weed references to cut through the dry pitches hitting reporters’ inboxes.
There were still plenty of Dry January participants and sober-curious folks, and Dank January met those consumers where they were at a time of lessened alcohol consumption and changing trends. To make a dent in the dry audience, Dittoe PR needed to emphasize that N/A beverages don’t have to compromise taste – dank and dry participants could still enjoy a great-tasting Maple Old Fashioned even when cutting back on spirits. The campaign also appealed to consumers setting New Year Resolutions to be more charitable by touting that WhistlePig would be puff-puff-passing proceeds from the cocktails to Turning Tables to benefit bartenders.
Dittoe PR targeted emerging media such as dedicated cannabis trade publications and by re-engaging with media across the consumer lifestyle, national business, and food and beverage outlets that were no longer interested in the typical Dry January launches. With the shift from dry to damp to dank, Dittoe PR also pursued advertising and marketing trade publications to highlight the creativity behind the campaign and how WhistlePig was staying in tune with shifting consumer trends, specifically those around mindful consumption, and by combining emerging trends in weed and non-alcoholic limited consumption.
WhistlePig Results
Dank January launched on January 1st with secured coverage in USA Today and FoodSided and international, national and trade stories hot on their heels. Dittoe PR achieved its goal of featuring WhistlePig in a new mainstream media outlet with USA Today, resulting in two separate stories and the Dank & Dry Old Fashioned being the only product included in a larger story about mindful drinking trends and wellness benefits. These stories alone resulted in more than 100 pick-ups. Additional national coverage included MAXIM, Men’s Journal, Trend Hunters, Adweek, Robb Report and more.
Trade coverage also increased, extending beyond food and beverage trade to cannabis trade, including Cannabis Products Insider and Marijuana Venture Magazine.
In total, Dittoe PR secured 282 media placements, 421.6 million impressions and more than $3.9 million in ad value for Dank January in just six weeks.
But wait, there’s more. Affiliate marketing is a highly sought service among national consumer media when reviewing and including products in stories. Dittoe PR offers affiliate marketing management services and managed WhistlePig’s migration from its former affiliate marketing platform to ShareASale and provides recurring management and reporting through ShareASale as it ties into media outreach.
Dank & Dry Old Fashioneds were viewable through both ShareASale and the platform SkimLinks. Notably, these did not have commissions tied to them, meaning there was no monetary incentive for outlets to post direct links to the product. From January 1–22, Dittoe PR recorded 348 transactions that resulted in approximately $26,000 in sales, the most popular being from Gear Patrol with 220 product transactions alone.
Explore Similar Case Studies
Capitalizing on PR Leads to Stellar Launch for Early-Stage Startup
Stellar is a pioneering startup dedicated to enhancing business operations through the integration of generative AI, large language models and machine learning. Operating in stealth mode, Stellar prepared for its market debut, focusing on key sectors such as healthcare, human resources and industrial IoT. Their objective was to engage influential decision-makers including C-level executives, business owners and managers across large enterprises and SMBs. Recognizing the need for effective communication to reach their target audience, Stellar engaged Dittoe PR in strategic public relations to build brand awareness, establish credibility and expand their market presence to ensure a successful launch.
Influenced by Art: Newfields’ Immersive Van Gogh and Monet Experiences Garnered Digital Success
After huge success in its first year, Newfields announced the second year’s content in May 2022: THE LUME Indianapolis featuring Monet & Friends Alive. While Indianapolis was being introduced to immersive art experiences at this size and scale for the first time these past few years, it faced competition from other immersive art experiences occurring across the globe.
Social Media Performance Growth You Can Take to the Bank
With the absence of an in-house dedicated social media manager, the MBI marketing team looked to Dittoe PR to assist with content development, take over daily management of its channels, and grow its presence on social media.
Dittoe PR Leads NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Social Media Channels to 296 Million Impressions, 23 Million Engagements
With an audience active 24 hours a day, a membership base of more than 350 schools and upwards of 50 Top 25 games each week to monitor and amplify, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) realized their need for a community management partner who could assist
with influencing, engaging and growing a community of loyal women’s basketball fans, while competing at the same level as the men’s accounts.
PR to Inform: Thought Leadership Drives Earned Media for WGU Indiana
With growing competition among established online universities as well as traditional colleges that began offering more online courses during the pandemic, WGU Indiana needed a way to stand out to its target student demographic.
Dittoe Public Relations Boosts Media Placements for Leading CPG Brand By 216%
Vita Coco needed a PR partner to re-energize the brand to not only encourage consumers to desire a taste of the tropics, but also to show that the category was relevant and growing.
Social Media Slam Dunk: Dittoe PR's Full Court Press For Men’s Final Four and Indiana Sports Corp
In January 2021, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) announced that for the first time in program history, the entire Division I Men’s Basketball Championship, known as NCAA March Madness, would take place in one region. Their choice: Indiana, with the majority of games taking place in downtown Indianapolis. ISC needed an agency partner to help Indianapolis shine as the sports capital of the nation.
Dittoe PR’s Launch of Hotel Tango ‘Shmallow Leaves Media Wanting S’More
With consumer affection for nostalgic campfire treats and the continued growth of the flavored whiskey category, Hotel Tango Distillery recognized an opportunity to create a spirit that is both approachable and adaptable. Enter the mouth-watering ‘Shmallow Toasted Marshmallow Bourbon—a bonfire in a bottle.
Dittoe PR Content Development Helps Recruiting Software Company Generate Leads, Establish Thought Leadership
Jobvite turned to Dittoe Public Relations to generate fresh, valuable and targeted content, with the primary goals of attracting customers and demonstrating its expertise in the recruiting industry.
Dittoe PR Leads Liberal Arts College in Preparing for, Overcoming Crisis Situations
Beloit College called upon Dittoe Public Relations to help plan and execute proactive and reactive media strategies in the event of a crisis.
In one event, a polarizing businessman was set to speak at the college, and controversy erupted as students vocalized their concerns, demanding he be prevented from giving his talk.
Like What You See?
Get in touch with us! We would love the opportunity to discuss how Dittoe PR can get you similar results.
