Distilling success with integrated marketing

Public relations, Influencer strategy, Advertising, Social Media

TN Whiskey Trail

When 30-plus Tennessee distillers came together to pioneer a whiskey trail, we set out to make it the most spirited news in the region.

Audiences know of Kentucky’s Bourbon Trail, so we aimed to transport them south to an entirely different state through a fully integrated campaign leveraging public relations and creative efforts.

The Tennessee Whiskey Trail is one of the state’s top tourism drivers as a celebration of Tennessee’s signature spirits, cuisine and culture and offering dozens of travel and dining experiences for locals and tourists alike.

We built a brand from scratch, developing a logo that would ultimately tell the story of the trail. That built a foundation that will guide the Trail for years to come.

To establish that brand, we designed a clean and modern logo to introduce the trail and capture the spirit of adventure and exploration with a compass. Our vision was to inspire whiskey connoisseurs to explore the vast offerings of our Tennessee distillers while laying the foundation for the next generation of whiskey enthusiasts.

Our PR strategy approached a mix of local, national and industry publications to spread the news. We secured widespread coverage in Craft Spirit Magazine, Axios, The Whiskey Wash, USA Today and more – a total of 70+ published stories helped us tell the story of the Trail.

And we endeavored to create a new state-wide action-packed event, Whiskey Week. In its first year, the program was such a success that we decided to expand the concept and make it a month long in year two. We executed weeklong activations in East, Middle and West Tennessee and developed a campaign showcasing the state’s signature spirit through immersive regional events, themed culinary experiences, cocktail competitions and special promotions across distilleries, bars and restaurants.

The Whiskey Week campaign generated more than 50 media hits across local, regional and industry outlets, reached a total audience of 21 million, and delivered 2.34 million ad impressions — with high-performing influencer content garnering 175,000 total interactions further amplifying visibility. Whiskey Week ultimately elevated the Trail’s brand, helping position Tennessee as a premier destination for whiskey tourism.

Influencer partnerships across TikTok and Instagram yielded more than 1,750 interactions and 45,000-plus views, while social advertising drove 2.34 million impressions and 16,000 clicks.

A curated YouTube campaign added another 143,764 impressions and 1,278 clicks. The campaign also leveraged a media partnership with Edible Nashville, known for its profiling of curated experiences, for 14,600 ad impressions, 3,800 social impressions and three e-blasts averaging a 37% open rate.

The Trail has transformed the region into a hub of whiskey tourism. The result has brought travelers out in droves, and caused a significant impact on industries like retail, recreation, transportation, accommodation, and food and beverage.

Best overall, our work helped lift economic impact in tourism dollars in Tennessee. A 2023 study completed by Tourism Economics showed distilleries are a main attraction in Tennessee tourism and economic growth. In 2022, they generated almost two million non-local visits and over $5 million in economic impact in Nashville alone, and more than $3.45 billion statewide.

The secret? The Tennessee Whiskey Trail.