Dive Brief:
- Irish whiskey brand Tullamore D.E.W., owned by William Grant & Sons, has partnered with Pat LaFrieda Meat Purveyors to create 193 whiskey and burger patty kits in honor of St. Patrick's Day, per details shared with Marketing Dive.
- The kits, which include the "St. Paddy's Day Patty," are meant to play on the fact that many people misspell St. Paddy's Day as St. Patty's Day. The $84.99 kit contains 12 8-ounce patties, a redemption code for a bottle of Tullamore D.E.W. and other goodies.
- The partnership plays on the heritage of Tullamore D.E.W. and acts as a launching pad for the brand's new advertising campaign, "An Unwavering Whiskey in a Crazy World."
Dive Insight:
Tullamore D.E.W.'s partnership with a popular American butcher and meat wholesaler helps to further integrate the brand into the consumer's consciousness. While St. Patrick's Day is often associated with Guinness and Jameson, Tullamore D.E.W. has grown steadily in the U.S. The patty kits help to raise awareness in a creative way, while also associating the brand further with a holiday largely celebrated by the Irish diaspora.
The release of the kits, available March 10, coincides with the launch of Tullamore D.E.W.'s new advertising campaign, "An Unwavering Whiskey in a Crazy World." The campaign highlights the brand's hometown of Tullamore, Ireland and the people that live there. The campaign will air across digital channels across the United States in the lead up to St. Patrick's Day.
Irish whiskey has seen tremendous growth in recent years, with sales rising 16.3% in 2021 compared to 2020. Tullamore D.E.W. is the second largest Irish Whiskey brand in the United States. Despite being far behind Pernod Ricard's Jameson, Tullamore D.E.W. has seen significant growth since its purchase by Willam Grant & Sons in 2010, with sales per year doubling.
The upcoming St. Patrick's Day marks the first since 2020 where the idea of in-person celebration seems to be a possibility. Guinness recently capitalized on this by producing an advertisement that focuses on togetherness and coming together. The patty kit asks people to come together and celebrate the holiday over burgers and whiskey, something largely not possible last year.
