Green River Distilling Urges People to ‘Raise Your Spirits’
Green River Distilling Co., the 10th oldest licensed distillery in Kentucky, unveiled its first modern brand advertising campaign in over 100 years celebrating its steadfast, enduring history with a tongue-in-cheek nod to the past. The national campaign will be rolled out across streaming TV, digital video, social and out-of-home. At the center of the “Raise Your Spirits” campaign is an uncanny spokesperson: G.R., the Ghost of Green River. This spectral ambassador leads the platform with a mission to bring simplicity to a complicated world, embodying the distillery’s deep-rooted heritage and commitment to quality while appealing to modern bourbon enthusiasts with a dash of humor and a splash of the supernatural.
“Green River’s legacy is not just about our storied past, it’s about the spirited persistence that drives us forward,” said Pete Marino, President of Bardstown Bourbon and Green River Distilling Co. “Our industry faces new obstacles and challenges, but we’re leaning into our strong brand and products and investing in accelerating Green River’s growth. The ‘Raise Your Spirits’ brand campaign will help us do that by bringing our distillery’s premium whiskey, timeless heritage, and of course, G.R. the Ghost of Green River, to a national audience.”
The new creative, conceived by Forsman & Bodenfors, launches through an integrated marketing campaign that will reach +10 million consumers nationwide including a paid partnership with Colin Cowherd, the popular sports host and digital personality behind “The Herd with Colin Cowherd,” and digital advertisements with Major League Baseball. The advertisements, will run in :30 and :15 spots. The targeted, high-impact thru-the-line rollout also includes point of sale for on- and off-premise and multi-platform social media, bringing Green River’s spirit to a broad audience across channels.
The brand’s first advertising campaign in more than 100 years is centered around the charismatic ghost G.R. who brings a century’s worth of whiskey wisdom to today’s Green River employees, championing simplicity in an overcomplicated world. G.R.’s presence in the campaign is more than just a gimmick; it’s a clever nod to the distillery’s legacy as the “everything-you-need, nothing-you-don’t bourbon.” As a ghost who has lived through so much of whiskey’s history, G.R. brings a wealth of knowledge and opinions to the table. His commitment to the craft and his playful demeanor keeps Green River employees on their toes, even eliciting the occasional eye roll, making him the perfect guide for both bourbon novices and connoisseurs alike.
With a rich history dating back to 1885, Green River Whiskey has overcome prohibition and natural disasters, was once the most advertised whiskey in the world, won Best of Show at the 1900 Paris World’s Fair Exposition and named the official (medicinal) whiskey of the U.S. Marine Hospital for 18 years due to its exceptional quality. Revived in 2022, Green River is now a part of Bardstown Bourbon Company, and is rapidly expanding, poised for distribution in 45 states this year with a range of expressions offering quality and value straight from the Kentucky Bourbon TrailTM.
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DoorDash Adds Delivery From Twin Liquors in Texas
DoorDash is excited to announce a new partnership to offer safe and responsible alcohol delivery from Twin Liquors, one of the largest standalone liquor retailers in Texas with over 100 locations throughout the state.
The new partnership with DoorDash marks Twin Liquors’ entry into a national third-party marketplace. Consumers can now order wine, spirits and beer from the family-owned and operated liquor store through DoorDash for on-demand delivery or scheduled pick-up.
Since introducing alcohol delivery to the platform in 2021, DoorDash has built an impressive alcohol catalog including more than 100k SKUs available for purchase from thousands of merchants. U.S. consumers in 35 states, along with the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, can access a wide selection of alcoholic beverages through the DoorDash Marketplace.
As part of the commitment to safe and responsible alcohol delivery, DoorDash has led the industry forward with a four-step compliance check at the door before a delivery may be completed, geofencing certain high-risk locations to pre-emptively block deliveries, and putting safeguards in place for Dashers that allow them to return alcohol penalty-free and with additional pay if a delivery cannot be completed. You can learn more about DoorDash’s safety measures here and here.
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Southern Glazer’s Acquires Horizon Beverage Group
Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits—the world’s preeminent distributor of beverage alcohol—today announced the successful closing of its acquisition of substantially all of the assets of Horizon Beverage Group, Inc., one of New England’s premier alcohol distributors, including all of Horizon’s operations and wine, spirits and beer portfolio. Effective immediately, Horizon’s operations in Massachusetts and Rhode Island will operate under the name Southern Glazer’s Beverage Company.
The acquisition marks an exciting expansion for Southern Glazer’s, adding Massachusetts and Rhode Island as the 46th and 47th markets in its U.S. footprint, alongside operations in Canada and the Caribbean.
“With this acquisition, we’re combining Horizon’s deep regional expertise with Southern Glazer’s advanced technology and robust resources,” said Wayne E. Chaplin, Chief Executive Officer, Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits. “We are excited to bring customers and suppliers enhanced tools, data insights, and service offerings that position us to meet and exceed their needs in these vital markets.”
Both Massachusetts and Rhode Island markets will operate as part of Southern Glazer’s East Region, led by Scott Oppenheimer, East Region president.
“We are grateful to Horizon’s employees, customers, and partners for so many years of success, and this transition represents an even brighter future for all,” said Bob Epstein. “We’re confident that Southern Glazer’s strength and scale will not only support a smooth integration, but also create new opportunities for growth and success.”
“We’re committed to maintaining the exceptional service that Horizon is known for while bringing the added benefits of being part of the Southern Glazer’s family,” added Jim Rubenstein. “This partnership ensures stability and growth for all stakeholders and strengthens our ability to deliver value across the board.”
Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits is the world’s preeminent distributor of beverage alcohol, building brands for moments that matter. The multi-generational, family-owned Company has operations in 44 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and Canada, as well as brokerage operations through its WEBB Banks division in the Caribbean, Central and South America. In 2024, Southern Glazer’s was recognized by Newsweek as one of America’s Greatest Workplaces for Diversity and America’s Greatest Workplaces for Women. Southern Glazer’s urges all retail customers and adult consumers to market, sell, serve, and enjoy its products responsibly. For more information visit www.southernglazers.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @sgwinespirits.
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