ABSTRACT
This chapter provides an amazing opportunity to bring purpose into a category that can sometimes seem superficial and to create a modern alcohol brand built on substance and defined by purpose. Ugly was built more like a founder brand in that it was conceived at its very beginning with purpose. The Ugly Distilling Co. will become the first ultra-premium American vodka distilled entirely from excess, unwanted fruit. Everything was decided upon with purpose in mind: ingredients are ugly fruits sourced from American family farms, juiced by a family-owned juicer, and distilled by a sustainable distillery in Idaho. Whether writing the business plan, articulating the brand vision, or briefing agencies, we had to articulate ‘purpose’ for The Ugly Distilling Co. Brand purpose becomes a way to direct the brand as it grows and a lens for making decisions and choosing partners along the brand journey. Much of Diageo’s success in the alcohol space comes from its distillation and supply chain expertise.
