LAUNCHING ARCHIE ROSE WHITE CANE
On-Premise Go-To-Market (GTM) Strategy & Trade Launch
May 2021 - August 2021
Project Team: Assistant Trade Marketing Manager, Design Team, Sales Team, Brand Team
My Role: Assistant Trade Marketing Manager
The Challenge:
Launch the new Archie Rose White Cane spirit into a highly competitive on-premise environment, dominated by global white rum brands, while driving distribution, menu listings, and sell-through .
Objectives:
The objective was not only to achieve initial distribution and sell-through, but to build bartender advocacy, prove the product’s commercial viability, and establish White Cane as a credible, long-term back-bar and cocktail rail option.
Short term
Successfully launch White Cane into the on-premise channel, delivering strong case sales and ROI
Drive awareness and early sell-through through targeted venue activity
Long term
Secure sustainable distribution nationally
Position White Cane as a permanent rail or house pour
Build bartender advocacy through demonstrated versatility and value
Key Insights:
Bartenders drive ranging and repeat orders — education and incentives outperform heavy theming
Venues are seeking premium-quality spirits at accessible price points
Traditional summer activations require high spend to compete with global brands and don’t always convert to sustained volume
Strategy:
Execution:
Results:
The go-to-market strategy was built to balance commercial delivery with long-term trade advocacy, recognising that sustainable on-premise growth comes from both distribution and genuine bartender buy-in.
The approach combined targeted venue partnerships, BA-led sell-in, trade incentives, media amplification, and experiential activity to drive awareness, trial, and repeat usage. A national cocktail competition was embedded into the launch plan as a key engagement mechanic — alongside activations and influencer venues — to encourage hands-on trial, demonstrate versatility, and build confidence among bartenders.
This layered strategy ensured investment worked across the full funnel:
Sell-in and distribution through strong pricing, incentives, and BA support
Trial and advocacy via activations, influencer venues, and the cocktail competition
Awareness and credibility through trade and consumer media
Flexibility in timing and execution allowed venues to participate in a way that suited their trading calendars, helping maximise uptake without compromising commercial outcomes.
Phase 1: Launch & Distribution Build (Oct 2024 – Jan 2025)
On-premise launch across key Australian markets
BA-led hand-sell supported by pouring and cocktail discounts, case deals, and GWP
Partnerships with activation and influencer venues to seed awareness and drive early sell-through
Trade media investment across Bars & Clubs, Australian Bartender, and Australian Hotelier
State-based trade launch events in NSW, VIC, and QLD
Soft launch at the Sydney Bar Awards, delivering high-impact exposure to influential industry audiences
Phase 2: Engagement, Trial & Advocacy (Feb – May 2025)
Continued venue activation and promotional support
Delivery of a national cocktail competition as part of the broader engagement plan, encouraging deeper trial and creative use of White Cane – celebrating local bartender communities with a final held in each state
Strong bartender participation, reinforcing product credentials and increasing likelihood of ongoing recommendation and menu presence
Ongoing media and trade amplification to extend reach beyond participating venues
While traditional theming activations proved challenging during peak trading periods, the combined approach — particularly bartender-led trial mechanics such as the cocktail competition — delivered strong advocacy outcomes and sustained sell-through beyond the campaign period.
The White Cane launch was a huge success, surpassing annual case targets within just nine months, securing distribution across 210+ on-premise customers nationally, and achieving 75 listings through the cocktail competition alone.
