THE INVENTION OF TEQUILA
Since 1758, Jose Cuervo has been the number 1 selling tequila in the world. Their long and rich distillation, family owned, and cultural history makes them the tequila standard. It doesn’t hurt that the Cuervo family is credited for inventing the very tequila that we drink today. Although proven to be the best tequila in color, aroma, flavor and finish, the past decade has been a turning point for the spirits category. As more tequila brands surfaced in the last ten years, Jose Cuervo assigned Rokkan to revitalize their brand portal.

THE PROOF IS IN THE HISTORY
The recent flood of tequila brands has diversified the market, with young and seasoned tequila drinkers having more choices. The entry tequila drinkers are traditionally less knowledgeable about the core characteristics of tequila being color, aroma, flavor and finish. Jose Cuervo’s history is the key differentiator from the plethora of new-to-market tequila brands—at the core, shifting their focus from a college gateway drink to the original heritage and sophistication of the brand. Quality is a difficult claim...every tequila brand claims to be the best. On the other hand, Cuervo’s history and invention of tequila is unmatched.

A LUXURIOUS REDESIGN FOR A LUXURIOUS BRAND
The new look and feel of josecuervo.com is a return to quality, a dramatic rethinking of how the brand is portrayed online. With the site being the hub for products and ongoing brand initiatives, it was critical that visitors felt they were engaging with a luxury brand in a very simple and structured manner. The heart of the site is a cross-pollination of history, product facts, and ways to enjoy tequila, with their heritage being the common link throughout the site. This information is also used to educate consumers on the differences between their products.

Rather than selecting tequila based on bottle, name and label, Rokkan created a product selector based on color. Using the color selector, visitors are immediately made aware of the important role color makes in distinguishing one tequila from another. It’s an ownable brand experience and method of selection that is unique to josecuervo.com. Each product is identified with historical information, drink recipes, tasting notes and facts.

Jose Cuervo’s history and general facts about tequila have their own dedicated sections debunking myth from reality. “Yes”, Jose Cuervo was a real person who invented tequila, in a town called Tequila in Mexico. Tequila is made from Blue Agave in the mineral-rich volcanic soil of Jalisco.

CERTIFIABLE TEQUILA EXPERTS
Prior to formulizing the final digital strategy, Rokkan’s project team visited the Jose Cuervo distillery in Mexico for a true immersion into the heritage of the brand. A tequila tasting and education session was also hosted at Rokkan compliments of Jose Cuervo. At the end of the tasting, Rokkan was awarded a certificate in Tequila expertise -- a true honor.

Rokkan created the site using a hybrid solution. Flash animation and video are used in areas for experiential engagement while the core structure of the site is built with best practice methods: HTML and Javascript for an enhanced user experience, faster page loads, removal of unnecessary page loads, and search engine optimization (SEO).

EXTENDING DIGITAL REACH
Rokkan continues to provide digital marketing solutions for Jose Cuervo. Recently, Rokkan launched a product site for the Jose Cuervo 250 Aniversario tequila. Rokkan has also been tapped to manage Jose Cuervo’s social network digital outreach.