I have the privilege of working with brands across most beverage categories, and often find my perspectives are akin to comparing them to America's popular game show.
* R-S-T-L-N-E isn't always enough.
Launching an alcohol beverage brand isn’t about guessing the obvious letters, or the obvious markets. Too often, we default to New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago, and Houston just because they seem like the big winners. Sometimes, those are the wrong markets for a young brand. If your brand doesn’t have the right distributor focus, ability to scale, "ambassadors", or retail footprint, you may miss entirely.
* Watch Out for the Bankrupt Wedge
Big markets can be the “Bankrupt” wedge. High SG&A, crowded competition, and high A&P spend can wipe out your budget before you prove velocity.
* Don’t Guess the Puzzle Too Early
Going national too soon is like shouting out the whole phrase when you’ve only seen three letters. Get it wrong, and you lose your turn. Smart brands build learning markets first, then scale.
* Buy the Right Vowels
Buying vowels is about clarity, not guessing blindly. The right test markets — Nashville, Charlotte, Denver... — can reveal how your brand performs for a fraction of the spend.
* Avoid the Lose a Turn Space
Launching where distributor support is weak means nothing moves. You lose a turn (or a year) waiting to gain traction. Winning brands don’t just “spin and hope.” They study the board, choose strategically, and make each turn count.
Ask yourself which markets would you start in if you were building a new brand — and why?
