Let’s be honest; tequila hasn’t always sat at the classy table. It’s usually seen as a party shot, the liquid courage that leads to a bar fight. So how do you show tequila’s sophisticated side? You create a brand identity that communicates a more elevated understanding of tequila.

Our Motto Method® is a proven and methodical strategy that respects the delicate balance of strategy and creative work. For Southbound, we developed a comprehensive brand strategy that positioned the brand against the competition and harnessed the power of the founders’ vision.

Southbound’s three founders approached Motto® in the pre-seed stage. To gear up for another round of funding, they needed to develop a brand story and design packaging to attract the right investors. Our first goal was to land on the position of Southbound and identify what territory the brand could own. We facilitated strategic workshops to learn what’s missing in the market, surface core ideas and beliefs, and get things right within the brand.

The problem is everyone thinks tequila is a party shot that makes you take your clothes off. However, there’s a more elevated side to tequila that many people don’t know. Motto® decided to flip the script on oversaturated male-dominated brand labels. Positioning Southbound as a sophisticated, elegant, and mature choice ensured a strategic territory the brand can own.

An exploration of Southbound’s values and name attributes revealed a focus on Southern hospitality, appreciation for human connection, and being smooth and intentional. These ideas gave way to the message “Go Slow,” — showcasing Southbound’s challenge to the many misconceptions about tequila.

Southbound needed a Visual Identity as resonant as its taste, one that would catch eyes on a crowded shelf amid competitors. Motto built that identity around simple yet bold elements – typography that echoes storytelling and nostalgia, natural and earthy color palettes, and a downward pointing stylized agave plant logo, a nod to the product’s high-quality origins and Southern focus.

Southbound has secured investors & generated excitement from partners in their pre-launch phase. Southbound is confidently poised and positioned for a successful and impactful launch. Boom baby.