Beam Suntory
How to shake up the spirits category? 28 new product innovations.
From bourbon to rum to tequila to wine—and a few cordials, whiskeys and vodkas in between—we helped Beam Suntory build a portfolio of product innovations to be proud of. Massive in number and mighty in profit, we delivered inspired innovations that hit the shelf and made a statement.
Hosting innovation workshops that spanned the US, Caribbean, Mexico and Europe, the LPK team hit the ground running. We went there, saw the processes, felt the passion, learned the business and drank it all in. We partnered with R&D, bartenders, distillers and consumers. We gathered insights, trends and all kinds of insider intel to inform our ideas and strategic master plan to fill an innovation pipeline and product portfolio for years to come.
Not only did we develop the ideas, we commercialized them, owning everything from nomenclature and positioning to packaging and in-store materials.
Expertise
- Consumer insights
- Go-to-market positioning
- Naming + messaging
- Graphic design
- Packaging design
Products
- Brand Foundations
- Brand Transformation
- Pipeline Framework Development
Project Outcome
Following the launch of Beam’s new innovations, they claimed 50% of all super-premium bourbon cases sold that year. In addition, volume for US whiskey—which includes bourbon, Tennesse and rye—jumped 6.8%, with revenue up 7.7% to $3.1 billion. “LPK has learned our business and they’re as passionate about it as we are, but they also bring a great outside perspective,” says Mary Kay Bolles, VP, Global R&D and Innovation at Beam Suntory.
”In the course of about a year, Beam Global has gone from the least innovative company in the industry to arguably the most.
Chuck CowderyBourbon Critic