The 818 Tequila Playbook:

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📖 The 818 Tequila Playbook: How Kendall Jenner Built a Standout Brand

When Kendall Jenner launched 818 Tequila in May 2021, many assumed it would be just another celebrity-backed brand…

…Struggling to compete with heavyweights like George Clooney’s Casamigos or Dwayne Johnson’s Teremana.

And they were right—at first.

Despite an impressive start, with 136,000 cases sold in its first year and becoming the best-selling new tequila of 2021 (Source: Spirits Business), 818 faced stiff competition and struggled with brand differentiation. 

❌ Consumers saw it as another influencer vanity project rather than a legitimate contender in the tequila market.

Realizing this, 818 made a major strategic shift

➡️ Focusing less on Kendall’s celebrity status and more on community-building, micro-influencers, and experiential marketing.

The result? A 70% increase in sales within four weeks 😲 😲😲

Here’s how they did it:

1️⃣ Positioning

To succeed, 818 needed to be more than just another celebrity tequila—it had to feel authentic and culturally relevant.

Instead of relying solely on Kendall Jenner, 818 partnered with trendy ambassadors like Emma Chamberlain and lifestyle influencers.

These partnerships created a sense of legitimacy, positioning 818 as a premium yet relatable brand.

→ Partnering with Emma Chamberlain’s coffee brand allowed 818 to tap into a younger female audience 

(53% of Chamberlain Coffee’s Instagram following is 18-24 years old, according to clickanalytic.com).

→ Whereas 818’s audience skews slightly older with 50% of its Instagram followers between 25-34 years old.

💡 If you check their website, it's also NOT all about Kendall—it's about the brand’s history, awards, and commitment to quality.

2️⃣  Influencers

818 is already getting more visibility on social media than most other celebrity tequila brands:

How? For 818, influencers are about visibility to their target audience. And they focus primarily on micro and nano-influencers:

• Nano-influencers (1K-5K followers) made up 56.6% of their influencer mentions, driving grassroots engagement and organic buzz.

• Micro-influencers (5K-25K followers) accounted for 25.3%, helping build credibility within niche communities.

The goal? Prioritizing authentic engagement over celebrity-driven endorsements.

3️⃣  Experiential Marketing

818 doesn’t just rely on digital marketing—it brings the brand directly to consumers through events and activations.

• They host exclusive pop-up events and influencer collaborations, creating immersive experiences that generate social media buzz.

• Coachella activations and high-energy bar takeovers reinforce 818 as a lifestyle-driven brand.

• Their college tour activations were a major initiative to solidify 818 as the go-to tequila brand for students. By setting up experiential events at universities, featuring tastings, giveaways, and influencer appearances, they created a strong association between 818 and youthful social culture. This strategy helped them dominate the 21+ college demographic, ensuring 818 was top of mind for campus parties and celebrations.

@kendall4life818

818 college tour round 3 @drink818 @Kendall Jenner 💚💚💚 #kendalljenner

These in-person events help build deeper brand loyalty and authenticity, making 818 a go-to tequila choice for its audience.

4️⃣  Pricing Strategy

Initially priced at a premium, 818 adjusted pricing to make it more accessible for Gen Z consumers.

• Blanco: $29.99

• Reposado: $39.00

• Añejo: $49.00

They aligned the pricing to their new target audience 🔥 and 818’s strategic shift paid off in sales growth:

• In its first year, 818 sold 136,000 cases, making it the best-selling new tequila brand of 2021.

• Following a pricing adjustment, 818 saw a 70% increase in Blanco sales within four weeks.

• By 2024, U.S. sales had grown to 160,000 cases, with international sales adding another 30,000 cases.

5️⃣  Content & Social Media

818’s success was amplified by its highly curated social media presence, which balanced premium aesthetics with user-generated content (UGC).

Content is key all across their platforms:

• Instagram: A polished feed featuring selected UGC and influencer content that aligns with the brand’s luxury image. They choose specific UGC creators for their feed.

• YouTube: Cocktail tutorials and behind-the-scenes content featuring celebrities like Kylie Jenner and Emma Chamberlain.

drink818

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📌 Key Learnings for Your Brand

• Don’t just rely on celebrity power—build a community around your product.

• Prioritize micro & nano influencers for long-term brand loyalty.

• Create experiences, not just ads—engagement beats awareness.

• Be agile with pricing to meet audience demand.

Want to scale with creators in 2025?

It’s not as hard as it seems, but it takes the right approach.
I can help you navigate strategies, find the right influencers, and avoid costly mistakes.

→ Book a call with me here.
I have led 200+ successful campaigns and was recently featured on Swiss TV for his insights on influencer marketing.

🚨 Don’t wait—secure your edge for 2025! (Psst, it’s free!)
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