Developing a Brand Identity for a Challenger Brand in a Crowded Category

DEMON SEED whiskey

With a fervent love for Boston (and whiskey) burning in our hearts, we were tasked with launching Demon Seed Scorpion Pepper Whiskey, which ignited our passion for its unique potential to stand out in the crowded marketplace of homogenous, black-labeled whiskey.

To do so, we created a target consumer persona we called “Sensations Seekers,” people who enjoy a little “heat” both in their lives and their libations. To these crafty devils, boring is the enemy. 

Our Sensation Seekers are a female-forward audience, as 40% of whiskey drinkers are now female.

So, we wanted to appeal to an audience to whom whiskey was not traditionally marketed. Instead of the dark, gritty, male-forward advertising that is common to the category, we pulled in a brighter, “fiery” look and a shiny chrome font to excite Sensation Seeks, while pushing back against the dated or predictable. We leveraged elements inherent to the Demon Seed bottle label to build a brand around, particularly the horseshoe and scorpion pepper — ownable elements uncommon to other whiskey brands.