Top 10 marketing moves from May 2025
Spirits found their way into various items in May – from pies to a diamond ring – and you can find them again in our latest round up of the month’s marketing moves.
In May, one brand made a diamond ring with its Tequila for the Meta Gala and another infused its whisky into pies for the football. When not inserting spirits into other things, the month saw brands expand across Europe, champion bees, and partner with the founder of Sips, one of the world’s best bars.
Meanwhile, others looked towards festivals with their marketing initiatives, in effort to tap into cultural spaces, with SXSW and Cannes both teaming up with spirits brands.
Keep scrolling for 10 best marketing moves from May.
For our previous marketing roundups, see what spirits brands had to offer in March and April.
Takamaka takes its Seychelles-made rum to UK
Throughout June, Takamaka is bringing its The Spirit of Seychelles campaign to the UK led by its distributor partner, Specialty Brands, featuring takeovers, bespoke cocktail menus, in-store tastings, and immersive masterclasses at bars and festivals.
With an idea to invite UK rum fans to explore the brand story and taste the spirit, the marketing campaign kicks off at Taste of London, held in Regent’s Park on 18-22 June. During the festival, the brand’s Beach Bar will serve cocktails created by rum ambassador Dean MacGregor who will also host guided tastings.
Additionally, Takamaka will partner with two venues to create rum-themed menus. The Salt Room in Brighton will host Sunday Sessions on 22 June, 20 July and 24 August, while at Goldies in London, Takamaka cocktails and slushies will be available on the venue’s terrace.
Campari heads to Cannes with Mads Mikkelsen
For the fourth year in a row, Italian apéritif Campari sponsored the Cannes Film Festival, hosting premier afterparties and teaming up with actor Mads Mikkelsen for promotions surrounding the star-studded event, which spanned 13 to 24 May.
During one event, the Danish actor went behind the bar to make his twist on a Negroni, made with mezcal in place of gin and finished with a hint of green mandarin. Mikkelsen crafted the Negroni in collaboration with mixologist Tommaso Cecca, inspired by the bold and complex characters he portrays. The Mads Negroni was then served throughout the week at the Campari Lounge at the Palais des Festivals and Hyde Beach by Campari.
Casino Royale actor Mikkelsen also starred in a corresponding advert for Campari and Cannes, appearing as a bartender who meticulously makes a classic Negroni.
Star & Key rum opens up Poland
Mauritian rum Star & Key partnered with distributor Cerville Investments to launch the brand in Poland, beginning in late 2024. The deal brings two rums to Poland: VSOP, aged for a minimum of four years in ex-Cognac casks, and Passion Fruit, infused with estate-grown produce.
“We’ve long admired the team behind Star & Key’s approach – their passion for authenticity, quality, and sense of place really resonates with modern spirits consumers,” Sławomir Kojło, a board member for Cerville, said. “Our early placements and interest from toptier retailers and bars have been fantastic.”
Cobblestone Brands launched Star & Key in 2024, and has previously worked with Cerville on Glendalough’s Irish whiskey and gin portfolio.
Sound move for Cygnet Gin and SXSW
Welsh gin brand Cygnet, co-founded by classical artist Katherine Jenkins OBE, was the exclusive gin sponsor of festival SXSW London.
SXSW London, described as the UK’s first festival dedicated to ‘creativity, culture and innovation’, took place in Shoreditch from 2 to 7 June 2025. Cygnet Gin, co-founded by Jenkins and social-impact filmmaker Andrew Levitas in 2023, took centre stage as the exclusive gin sponsor at the festival.
The gin’s sponsorship is said to align with the values of ‘championing bold ideas, cultural conversation, and boundary-pushing creativity’ that centre SXSW’s mission. The gin was available at key venues during the festival, including Shoreditch Electric, Shoreditch Town Hall, Shoreditch Church, and The Truman Brewery.
Ron Matusalem partners with Marc Álvarez
Cuban rum Ron Matusalem and co-founder of Barcelona bar Sips, Marc Álvarez, have created a line of seven cocktails that reinterpret the brand’s core range.
Álvarez spent a year with the rum brand to create The Cocktail Collection, which he says blends elegance, depth, and a sense of history. The cocktails include the Insolita Paloma, Plum, Black Oak, Lignos, Nut, Comb, and Oxid, and are made with Ron Matusalem expressions ranging from Insólito, aged in red wine barrels, to Gran Reserva 15 and Gran Reserva 23.
“This project wasn’t about invention, but rather achampbout discovering ways to amplify what’s already contained in each drop,” Alvarez said.
Avallen makes a beeline for bars
Calvados brand Avallen marked its sixth anniversary alongside World Bee Day on 20 May, which followed the theme of ‘Bee inspired by nature to nourish us all’.
In honour of both occasions, Avallen brought bars together from Manchester to Singapore, with each offering bespoke cocktails, masterclasses and special menus centred on bees and the spirit. The ecoconscious brand is a champion for pollinators within food systems and ecosystems, and achieved B Corp status in 2022.
In 2024, Avallen Spirits co-founders Stephanie Jordan-Balmforth and Tim Etherington-Judge launched Avallen Solutions, a consultancy focused on sustainability within drinks and hospitality.
Neurita Citrus Tequila lands in Finland
Flavoured Tequila brand Neurita has placed its Citrus expression in Finland after securing a listing with the country’s alcohol monopoly, Alko.
“In just two-and-a-half years, we’ve gone from concept to category disruptor,” Neurita creator Lucy Smith said. “Our launch in Alko signifies not only the demand for premium flavoured Tequilas but also the broader opportunity across Europe. It’s been incredible to witness the shift in consumer interest, and we’re only getting started.”
The listing in Finland was secured through local distributor Servaali. The launch is among several new markets that Neurita plans to enter this summer, with more announcements expected.
Janelle Monáe shines bright like a diamond with 1800 Tequila
Toronto-based designer Jonathan Raksha of Maison Raksha designed a diamond made using 1800 Tequila’s cristalino expression.
The diamond debuted on a brooch worn by musician, actor and producer Janelle Monáe at this year’s Met Gala in New York. “Every detail of the 1800 Tequila diamond brooch was crafted to embody the spirit of liquid in solid form,” Raksha said.
“On a night when all eyes are on the red carpet, it was exciting to translate my design language into something more than just a jewel, but a bold statement that introduced the brand’s first Tequila diamond.” Raksha said the diamond is a 5.5 carat emerald cut stone, G colour and VS1 quality.
Grammy Award-winning singer Monáe added: “To shine, and to create something truly iconic, you have to think differently.”
Chivas creates whisky-infused pies for Arsenal
Chivas Regal, the official whisky partner of Arsenal, teamed up with London-based Willy’s Pies to serve special baked goods at the club’s final home game of the season.
The pies featured slow-braised beef brisket and caramelised shallots deglazed with Chivas Regal, Isle of Mull cheddar and gravy, in puff pastry and finished with gold dust.
“The idea was to create a pie that feels as celebratory as the occasion with a touch of Chivas Regal’s signature luxury,” Willy’s Pies co-founder Will Lewis said.
At the game, held on 18 May, the first 200 adult club supporters who purchased a pie received a free Orange Chivas Regal Highball. After the game, the pie was available for a limited time on the Willy’s Pies website, with all proceeds reinvested into the community.
Three Cents and Tequila Ocho partner on debut Paloma Month
In May, mixer brand Three Cents and Tequila Ocho teamed up for a month-long celebration of the Paloma across more than 50 venues.
Participating venues served the One & Tue Paloma, with Ocho and Three Cents Pink Grapefruit Soda, as well as the venue’s spin on the serve. Venues included Hackney’s 392 Kingsland Road, Deptford cocktail and listening bar Jazu, and London favourites such as Café Pacifico.
“We’re strong believers that the Paloma cocktail deserves a whole month of celebrations, not just one day, so we’ve worked with some of the most promising British talent to bring not just the classic Paloma, but unique spins on the cocktail to bars across the UK,” Three Cents co-founder and general manager George Bagos said.
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