Our Work
Campari
Dave led communications on the Campari brand for 12 years, as well as served as the brand's marketing manager for three. Under his leadership, he gave the brand a singular focus - the Negroni cocktail. Dave designed and managed Negroni Week - the largest charitable giving program in the history of the worldwide spirits industry. The program received multiple awards including three Campaign of the Year recognitions from the Public Relations Society of America. Through concentrated media relations, social media, bartender relations, influencer relations and traditional advertising, the Negroni joined the Manhattan and Old Fashioned in the eschelon of classic cocktails.
During his tenure as marketing manager for Campari, brand sales doubled, reaching 100,000 cases in the US for the first time.
Aperol
The established goal for introducing the U.S. to the Aperol Spritz was to make it the most photographed cocktail on Instagram. Members of the Raptor team led the media relations, influencer relations, events and social media strategy for the Aperol Spritz invasion of America. Detailed strategies down to what time of day an event should be held (only during peak times when the sun can hit the cocktail just right) or how many spritzes should be in an Instagram post (three gets the most engagement), led to the Aperol Spritz being seen everywhere. When the New York Times took a swipe at it, after six consecutive positive stories, Raptor staff managed the crisis communications and rallied spritz lovers like the Jonas Brothers, Martha Stewart and pretty much everyone on the Internet to Aperol's defense.
In 2018, the Aperol Spritz was indeed the most photographed cocktail on Instagram driving sales nationwide and making the cocktail ubiquitous at every outdoor patio across the U.S
Blue Run Spirits
In addition to established brands, we use our vast experience to bring new brands to market. Blue Run Spirits was started in 2020 by five founders with little to no spirits experience. We worked cooperatively with executives to define the identity for Blue Run’s line of luxury whiskies, while also helping them better understand the spirits retailer and distributor ecosystem. Raptor staff personally introduced the brand and the team to the whiskey community of reviewers, editors and aficionados, as well as other industry leaders and personalities, including the Kentucky Distillers' Association and Governor Beshear. We set the communications strategy and managed media relations for seven product launches in just a year.
Since launching in the middle of the pandemic, Blue Run is now one of the most-buzzed-about whiskey brands in the U.S., selling out new products in mere minutes and earning top honors at spirits competitions. Blue Run was sold to Molson Coors in 2023, less than three years after it launched.
Wild Turkey
When Campari Group purchased Wild Turkey in 2009, the iconic whiskey brand was in a state of neglect requiring a top to bottom makeover and repositioning. Sarah and Erin led the communications team to devise a new image for Wild Turkey, with a particular focus on Bourbon Hall of Fame father/son master distillers, Jimmy and Eddie Russell. Coverage for the duo followed in Time Magazine, the New York Times, People Magazine and many more media outlets. Our staff also managed communications and the awards program for all of Wild Turkey’s product launches, including luxury line extension Master’s Keep.
Sarah and Erin led the communications for the brand’s partnership with Matthew McConaughey, working to build credibility for the Oscar-winning actor in the whiskey community, as well as building goodwill for Wild Turkey, the pinnacle of which may have been when Matthew delivered 4,500 turkeys to needy families for Thanksgiving as part of a concentrated publicity and community outreach program.