STRAIGHTAWAY COCKTAILS

Role:
Brand Strategy & Partnerships Lead (via Nora the agency)

Category:
CPG // Spirits // Experiential & Partnerships

Overview:
Led brand strategy and partnership development to evolve Straightaway from a regional RTD cocktail brand into a nationally recognized, culturally relevant spirits brand—driving visibility, sales, and expansion into new markets.

Strategy & Approach:
Identified an opportunity to reposition Straightaway beyond “ready-to-drink” convenience—framing it instead as a premium, experience-driven cocktail brand aligned with food, travel, and culture.

Developed a multi-pronged growth strategy centered on strategic partnerships, experiential activations, and influencer amplification—designed to build credibility, expand reach, and drive conversion across channels.

Execution:
Negotiated and secured Straightaway’s first-ever spirits partnership with Outstanding in the Field—a nationally recognized culinary platform that historically only partnered with wine and beer—placing the brand within a premium, experience-led context.

Built an integrated campaign ecosystem around this momentum, including:

> Experiential activations (e.g. Hot Grill Summer)
> Influencer and creator campaigns
> Strategic collaborations with brands like Roe Caviar, Seemore Sausages, and Opopop ++

Led cross-channel execution connecting IRL experiences with digital amplification to extend reach and drive measurable engagement and sales.

Partnership & Positioning Impact:
Repositioned Straightaway as a culinary-forward, elevated cocktail brand—expanding its audience beyond traditional RTD consumers into high-value, experience-oriented demographics.

Leveraged partnerships not as tactics, but as positioning tools—aligning the brand with culturally relevant platforms to shift perception and unlock new growth opportunities.

Results:
> Achieved sell-out performance of seasonal product launches through integrated campaign strategy
> Drove 20% increase in engagement and 15% lift in sales through partnerships and activations
> Expanded national brand visibility through high-impact collaborations and experiential presence
> Contributed to successful airline placement with Alaska Airlines
> Positioned brand for continued retail expansion and category differentiation