Westward Whiskey is the highest rated American Single Malt, and the brand offers consumers a wide portfolio of award-winning whiskeys.
Based on Agent99’s vast experience in the beverage and liquor sector, the agency was retained for over four years to launch new products, support key retailers, and help Westward stand out to both trade and consumers in an extremely competitive market.
Understanding the importance of engaging key opinion leaders in the drinks sector, Agent99 arranged international trips for journalists to Westward’s distillery in Portland, Oregon. These trips educated media influencers about the distillery’s credibility and its whiskies, targeting outlets that reached the brand’s audience.
Agent99 also hosted tailored experiences (both virtual and in-person) for each product launch. For instance, during the release of Westward Sourdough American Single Malt Whiskey, they partnered with prominent Australian bakers Cornersmith for a combined whiskey and bread launch event, enhancing awareness and media engagement.
Additionally, with the trend of making cocktails at home, Agent99 collaborated with Westward to develop cocktail recipes featuring Westward Whiskey, consistent with the brand’s premium image.
The campaign achieved 300+ earned editorial media pieces, with 80%+ of these including key messages. These media pieces, combined with influencer activities, achieved an astounding combined reach of over 119M.
Westward have been featured in GQ, The Australian, Boss Hunting, Men’s Fitness Magazine, Man of Many, Delicious, Gourmet Traveller, Concrete Playground, Taste.com.au and Urban List along with many other top-tier media outlets through Agent99’s connections in the industry.
In addition to the media exposure, and as a result of the events, this activity also drove sales, with 40% of attendees from one event, as an example, purchasing full-sized products following the sample tasting event.
PR directly attributed to Australia becoming the highest-selling region outside the US, with the share of voice sitting at 49.15% against its competitors in the market during a key period.
