The Patrón bee logo laser-beamed its way across the historic decommissioned Hearn Generating Station. It went through clouds of swirling smoke, colourful strobing lights, and the enveloping thump of bass music for a special reveal that early June night. With a menu of four Patrón El Cielo infused cocktail options – the El Cielo Ice and Slice, a Sparkling El Cielo with Yuzu, an El Cielo Spritz, and a Crystal Clear Margarita – the iconic premium brand kicked off the invite-only Toronto launch party of its newest silver tequila. And the sea of revelers dressed in the sparkly white and gold dress code were very much there for it, just in time for summer. Like Patrón knew they would be.
The agave tequila is being marketed through all of their standard channels such as on social media through influencers, partnerships, paid and earned media. But the experiential aspect is what Kathy Parker, president and global CMO for Grey Goose Vodka and Patrón Tequila at partner company Bacardi, is keen to highlight. “The most exciting way we’re marketing is through our global tour this summer. We’re bringing a piece of the party, with custom bespoke events and what we like to call the ‘CIELO Life,’ to some of the most iconic hotspots across the world.” These types of international brand awareness gigs included, so far, a first Patrón El Cielo tour stop in Ibiza with a party DJed by Swedish House Mafia’s Axwell followed by a custom El Cielo-inspired outfit clad Doja Cat performance in NYC. And after Toronto, the brand is headed to the Greek luxury and party island of Mykonos.
But Parker couldn’t be more optimistic specifically about El Cielo’s timely release into the Canadian market. While the sector may seem already saturated, she knows this is the right time for this product. “We’re seeing consumers gravitating towards prestige tequila,” she explains, “This segment is forecasted to double in size by 2025. People are willing to pay more for premium, high-quality products; they’re seeking out luxury goods.”
At $249 per 700 ml bottle, the spirit is certainly a premium addition to the Patrón portfolio. “[It] was crafted for celebration. Patrón El Cielo is light and fresh. We want people to go out to bars and clubs to enjoy [it], celebrate together and, most importantly, have fun responsibly,” she says. “Tequila is far outpacing all other spirit categories in Canada, and the category continues to become more and more premium.”
Patrón understood there was an opportunity for a silver tequila within the prestige category and went for it. And what that also implies is that discerning consumers want to know that what’s in their product is quality. Like has been seen in other categories, the focus is on both premium ingredients on a clean product label – in this case, only three.
The packaging and bottle design, says Parker, was just as critical to the marketing efforts as the quality of the spirit itself. A lot of thought and creativity has gone into crafting it. “We knew we needed to have an elegant and distinctive bottle that people would be proud to have on their bars and tables. It’s outfitted with a gold metallic cork inspired by the volcanic tahona stone used to produce Patrón Tequila. The bottle is clear with gold designs at the bottom as a nod to the natural light that you find in the agave fields and at the homeland of Patrón – the Jalisco Highlands of Mexico.”
But the bigger focus is on the differentiators that will help this product stand out. This pushes the brand to continue innovating its offerings while making sure it’s staying true to the hand crafted production processes it’s known for. “For the first-time ever, our legendary master distiller David Rodriguez and his talented team of distilling artisans developed a prestige tequila with a fourth distillation. This results in a naturally sweet taste, meaning no added sugar or artificial ingredients, unlike some other tequilas on the market.” And with a growing demand for prestige tequila in Canada, Patrón considers this market one of the top 5 priorities.
