Jack Daniel’s: Celebrating the People, the History, and the Culture Through Social Media

Although I am dedicated to my love of coffee, I also prefer another beverage: whiskey. But not just any whiskey: Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey. I could drone on about why I love this particular brand and type of whiskey, but instead, I’ll do what Jack Daniel’s does: I’ll focus on the stories. Jack Daniel’s is known for celebrating the people behind the product, the history of their whiskey, and the culture of whiskey drinkers and Lynchburg, Tennessee in their marketing efforts. Ultimately, in addition to being master distillers, they are also master storytellers. Peter Krass, the author of Blood and Whiskey: The Life and Times of Jack Daniel, told Digiday, “From their TV ads and black-and-white calendars in the past to their social media posts today, everything harkens to their heritage and tells a story of some aspect of the brand.” Let’s look at a few examples of their storytelling talents in action:

Jack Daniel’s Barrel Hunt

To celebrate the iconic whiskey’s 150th birthday, the Jack Daniel’s team created a scavenger hunt. But not just any old scavenger hunt: a scavenger hunt for whiskey barrels. While the barrels, unfortunately, did not contain whiskey due to liquor laws, they did contain a myriad of branded prizes for the lucky winners. Starting in their town of historic Lynchburg, Tennessee, the brand hid 150 whiskey barrels around the nation and the globe. This effort sought to not only involve the customers via social media and in-person marketing but celebrate those around the world who love the Tennessee whiskey. Fans could find clues to the next barrel on the Jack Daniel’s Facebook page. These hints led customers to historic sites, cultural icons, and legendary spots related to the whiskey and cities where the barrels were hidden.

Celebrating Lynchburg, Tennessee

If you ever have the good fortune to experience a Jack Daniel’s distillery tour (which I highly recommend), take the time to soak in the stories. From the moment you arrive to the end of your visit, the tour guides and staff members immerse you in the history of the brand, the town, and the people. The Jack Daniel’s marketing team recently launched a series of TV commercials and social media videos around the people of Lynchburg and the distillery employees. The series, called Our Town, highlights the few but insanely loyal residents of Lynchburg, many of whom work at the distillery. This is just one of the many campaigns focused on what sets this whiskey brand apart: the local history, culture, and people.

Specialized Branded Content

The Jack Daniel’s team also knows how phenomenal their product is. As such, they know that putting it front and center in content marketing efforts can work to their advantage. Some of these promotional efforts include:

• Recipe videos with Jack Daniel’s as the main ingredient.
• Highlighting customer stories and their experiences with the whiskey.
• Animated gifs related to the product or brand.
• Articles and photos detailing the whiskey’s history.
• Promotional offers, gifts, and contests surrounding the product.

After all, the brand would not exist without the product!

Jack Daniel’s: Whiskey with a Story to Tell

From highlighting their steadfast local employees to acknowledging the whiskey’s rich past, Jack Daniel’s knows how to tell a story. Follow the company on social media and you’ll see exactly what I’m talking about.

Anne M.

Anne is a copywriter and digital marketing specialist currently residing in the Greater Nashville area. Originally from New England, she leverages her three top talents (writing, marketing, and coffee consuming) for businesses and brands of all sizes across the globe.

Anne is a 2013 Marketing Communications/Advertising graduate from Western New England University in Springfield, MA. She credits her launch into writing to her legendary elementary school poem about pizza that wowed the judges and won the creative writing award in her school district.

When not writing or working on marketing campaigns, you can find Anne at a coffee shop, exploring somewhere new, or training in martial arts as a 3rd degree black belt.