PATRÓN asks consumers to look beyond the tequila label

The campaign addresses the use of permitted additives in the tequila category

PATRÓN Tequila has launched a US advertising campaign focused on ingredient transparency, asking consumers to consider what is in their tequila and highlighting the brand’s use of 100% Weber Blue Agave, water and yeast.

Created with BBH USA, the campaign addresses the use of permitted additives in the tequila category and uses interactive billboards, murals and digital kiosks to encourage consumers to examine product ingredients more closely.

PATRÓN campaign targets ingredient transparency

Under current tequila industry rules, producers can use additives of up to 1% of the product’s weight in 100% Weber Blue Agave aged tequilas without disclosing them on bottle labels or in communications. Potential additives include glycerin, oak extract, sugar-based syrup and caramel colouring.

A YouGov survey cited by PATRÓN found that 61 percent of Americans believe producers should provide greater transparency about ingredients and sourcing. In a separate PATRÓN global drinks survey, 78 percent of respondents said they would prefer a tequila taste over one that has been artificially improved, while 88 percent said they would consider switching brands if they discovered their tequila contained undisclosed additives.

BBH USA builds campaign around curiosity

Roberto Ramirez-Laverde, Global Senior Vice President, PATRÓN Tequila: "Most people would never guess that their tequila might contain glycerin, oak extract, sugar-based syrup, or caramel coloring. At PATRÓN, we have used the same three ingredients since 1989 – 100% Weber Blue Agave, water, and yeast– and we believe people deserve to know what is in their glass. We hope our latest advertising campaign continues to ignite a broader conversation about ingredient transparency across the category."

The campaign began rolling out in July across New York City, Los Angeles, New Orleans, Chicago, Miami, Dallas, Austin and San Francisco. In New York, activity includes the shuttle between Grand Central and Times Square and media placements at the Times Square 1/2/3 station.

PATRÓN uses outdoor media for campaign message

The campaign also includes 3D billboards at 7th Avenue and 33rd Street in Manhattan and on Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood.

Creative executions use wordplay and visual puzzles to communicate PATRÓN’s ingredient positioning. Misspelled uses deliberately scrambled words to communicate that the tequila contains no added flavour, colour or sweetness. Ways of Saying uses phrases that invert the ingredients consumers will not find in the product.

Guess Which Tequila obscures the PATRÓN bottle so that only its silhouette is visible, directing consumers to a dedicated website where the bottle and its three ingredients are revealed.

Campaign extends into experiential marketing

Laila Mignoni, VP, Global Communications, PATRÓN Tequila: "This campaign turns a creative challenge into some of our most original storytelling yet. Each of these concepts in the campaign hands the audience a puzzle: a typo, a workaround, a hidden bottle. It lets them arrive at the truth on their own, and the truth is a simple one: PATRÓN is a tequila made with just three ingredients and nothing else."

PATRÓN also brought the ingredient message to Tales of the Cocktail in July through the PATRÓN 100% Secret-Ingredient-Free Cocktail Parlor & Creamery. The activation served cocktails and ice cream named around ingredients the brand says are not used in its tequila, alongside cocktails including the Nothing to Hide Highball and the No Asterisks Paloma.

PATRÓN highlights production process

The campaign is scheduled to continue into 2027 with additional creative executions. PATRÓN says its three-ingredient recipe is supported by production in the Highlands of Jalisco, Mexico, where its tequila is made in small batches using a handcrafted production process.

www.patrontequila.com

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