What Makes a Spirit Brand Media-Worthy in 2025

What Makes a Spirit Brand Media-Worthy in 2025

In a market overflowing with craft labels, celebrity endorsements, and TikTok-fueled cocktail trends, getting press coverage for a spirits brand isn’t just about having a good product anymore—it’s about telling a great story.

Editors, influencers, and beverage writers in 2025 are inundated with pitches. A new tequila with sleek packaging? Already in their inbox. A bourbon aged in Mars-dust barrels? Maybe worth a second glance. But what they really want is context, cultural relevance, and a hook that sparks curiosity.

So, what makes a spirit brand media-worthy in today’s landscape? These are the ingredients that consistently lead to coverage—and conversation.

1. A Compelling Founder Story

Journalists want to know who’s behind the brand—and why it exists. Was the founder inspired by their grandfather’s home distilling? Did they leave a high-powered job in tech to create a rum brand rooted in climate activism?

Founder narratives that feel personal, surprising, or mission-driven help distinguish your brand from the endless wave of vanity labels and venture-backed formulas.

2. Cultural Relevance (Without Appropriation)

Does your brand tap into a specific tradition, community, or movement? Spirits brands that are deeply tied to place, heritage, or identity resonate more than ever—especially when they’re led by members of the communities they celebrate.

Examples: a mezcal brand co-owned by Indigenous producers. A Caribbean rum highlighting diaspora recipes. A queer-owned gin company supporting nightlife recovery. It’s not just about ingredients—it’s about representation.

3. Truly Sustainable Practices

In 2025, sustainability talk is cheap—but action is rare. Brands that can prove they’re doing more than greenwashing earn serious media points. That could mean regenerative agriculture, low-waste packaging, carbon-offset production, or profit-sharing with growers.

Be transparent. Be specific. Show your receipts.

4. Design That Stops the Scroll

Yes, design still matters. Aesthetics can be the difference between being featured in a holiday gift guide or being skipped. But more than just a beautiful bottle, what editors love are visual assets that communicate brand essence: mood boards, founder portraits, styled pours, behind-the-scenes distillery shots.

Make your brand visually easy to love—and even easier to cover.

5. Unexpected Collaborations

Spirit brands that pair up with fashion designers, artists, chefs, or social causes bring freshness to the table. Think a limited-edition vermouth paired with a James Beard finalist’s menu. Or a vodka brand that sponsors an LGBTQ+ zine launch. The weirder and more authentic the collab, the better.

6. Flavor Innovation With Context

“Innovative” flavors are a dime a dozen. What stands out is the “why.” A whiskey finished in rare Japanese umeshu barrels? Intriguing. A gin with a hyperlocal botanicals-foraged flavor map? Deliciously niche. A brand that treats mixologists like co-creators instead of an afterthought? Even better.

Give writers a reason to believe your flavor story matters. Bonus if they can taste it firsthand.

7. Media-Ready Infrastructure

The best brands don’t just hope for coverage—they prepare for it. That means a working press page, clear media contacts, downloadable assets, fact sheets, founder bios, and sample request protocols. If you’re making media work to write about you, you’re already behind.

8. Social Proof and Consumer Love

Are people obsessed with your brand? Are bartenders begging to carry it? Are you sold out every time you restock? Editors notice traction. Include metrics—sell-through rates, customer reviews, repeat orders—as supporting proof.

Final Thoughts

To be media-worthy in 2025, spirit brands must offer more than alcohol. They need narrative, purpose, creativity, and readiness. The story should be baked into every element—from the label to the website to the pitch deck.

Because when the story is strong, the coverage writes itself. And that’s when the buzz starts pouring in.