Bringing a brand to life

The James B. Beam Distilling Co.

The distillers of Jim Beam, Knob Creek, Basil Hayden’s, and other craft whiskeys are in the processes of bringing their brands together under one parent brand.

We were tasked with defining and crafting the story of the James B. Beam Distilling Co. and its role as a parent brand, and the stories of the other brands within the portfolio.

We then developed a vision to bring these stories to life for consumers at the historic Clermont, KY distillery.

Teams I collaborated with:

• Content strategists

• Brand strategists

• Brand Directors

• Director of Global Marketing

• Facilities managers

• Partnering advertising agencies

• Architects

• Environmental designers

Key elements of my role:

• Worked with brand strategists to distill and clarify the James B. Beam Distilling Co. positioning, beliefs, and narrative

• Collaborated with the Brand Directors and partnering advertising agencies to define and differentiate the James B. Beam Distilling Co. portfolio

• Helped define the graphic standards for the Clermont campus

• Identified and defined key visitor experiences touch-points on the Clermont campus

• Developed concept sketches for key visitor experience touch-points on the Clermont campus

Outcomes:

• A defined James B. Beam Distilling Co. parent brand

• Clarified positioning for each of the brands in the portfolio

• A revised visitor experience at the Clermont campus that reinforces what the Beam Distilling brand stands for and aligns with the strategic communication goals of the parent and portfolio brands

A project in two parts

We distilled the project work into 2 phases. We had to define the brand to know what we were bringing to life for visitors to the Clermont distillery.

1

Introducing The James B. Beam Distilling Co.

We crafted and defined the James B. Beam Distilling Co. brand, telling the story of eight generations of industry leaders. With this new parent brand, we clarified and aligned the family of brands and their stories.

2

Experiencing the brand at the Clermont distillery

We worked with the family, the brand managers, the on-site operations group in Clermont, and teams of architects to bring the Beam Distilling parent brand and family of brands to life on the campus.

Telling the james B. Beam Distilling Co. Brand Story

We began defining the Beam Distilling brand by looking at the 225 year history and legacy of the Beam family and their contributions to the world of whiskey and bourbon.

With these stories we were able to define all the elements that made The James B. Beam Distilling Co. unique.

These same elements bring every brand in the Beam Distilling portfolio together as a family. Further defining their individual brand attributes gave each points of distinction.

This work allowed the individual brand managers to make decisions and craft campaigns consistent with the overall strategy of The James B. Beam Distilling Co.

Crafting the guest experience

Currently known as the home of Jim Beam Bourbon, the Clermont distillery is a popular stop on the Kentucky Bourbon trail.

We considered every point in the visitor experience, and made sure every guest would feel the warm Beam family hospitality. From arrival at the entry gate, to relaxing on the front porch of the historic T. Jeremiah Beam House, to sipping on craft cocktails while overlooking the green rolling hills of the campus. Every touchpoint presented an opportunity to tell the story of The James B. Beam Distilling Co. and its family of brands.

Strategy you can touch and feel (and taste)

Most visitors come to the Clermont distillery to take the distillery tour. We crafted an experience that told the story of the Beam Way of making bourbon.

For each tour stop, we considered what the guests should learn, why it’s important in the context of the brand and its story, and what the experience looks like. We developed concept sketches and worked with a design partner to produce final renderings.