(Photo: Lobos 1707)
On Thursday, LeBron James' Lobos 1707 Tequila & Mezcal announced that it'll go back to square one with a marketing blitz reinventing its brand identity.
The refresh is evidenced through a new campaign dubbed "unDomesticate," a full-throated celebration of the brand's connection to wolves (Lobos translates to "wolves" in Spanish, an influence you'll repeatedly frequently across the brand's packaging). In a video kicking off the festivities, viewers find themselves transported to the fictional Center for Human Un-Domestication, a Mediterranean-inspired vista where the mysterious "Wolf Whisperer" guides guests toward uncovering their animalistic spirit. There are slabs of uncooked steak, fires to throw your clothes into and a bathtub filled with what we can only imagine is tequila.
It's all quite tongue-in-cheek in a way that spirits advertisements revel in.
“The UnDOMESTICATE campaign is about tapping into our truest selves, fearlessly breaking away from the constraints of domesticated life,” Joanna Darst, VP of Consumer & Digital Marketing at Lobos 1707, remarked in a news release. “We believe that there is a free spirit inside each of us seeking to be unleashed, and Lobos 1707 Tequila is inviting everyone to ‘UnDOMESTICATE’ by setting free their joyful, primal instinct for life.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WbbFVmntqo&embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fmail.google.com%2F&embeds_referring_origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmail.google.com&source_ve_path=MjM4NTE
Apart from its sultry summertime vibe, the first thing you'll notice about the video is that there are no celebrities in sight. If nothing else, this is by far the biggest change that the brand is adapting to with its new messaging. The last time Lobos rolled out an ad campaign, it saw LeBron James channel the role of James Bond in a rivalrous poker match against Nickelodeon star Victoria Justice. CCO and actor Diego Osorio cameoed in the background as a bartender; power forward Draymond Green (also an investor in the brand) made a brief appearance in a photograph.
Lobos is stacked to the brim with A-list leadership, many of whom have appeared in the brand's marketing in years past. In addition to James and Green, investors include James' teammate on the Los Angeles Lakers Anthony Davis and other NBA players Fred VanVleet and Zach LaVine; actor Arnold Schwarzenegger; model Paris Hilton; and sports agent Rich Paul, who represents James, Davis and Green. "Insecure" star and co-creator Issa Rae became the latest to join the team in February announcing the partnership with an Instagram video that saw nearly all the investors gathered in one place.
For the time being, it seems Lobos is taking a step back from the star power in favor of a more nuanced approach.
The brand was brought to market by Osorio in 2020 and currently offers Joven, Reposado, Extra Añejo and Mezcal bottlings. All of Lobos' aged expressions are matured in Pedro Ximénez sherry wine casks, a nod to Osorio's 16th-century ancestor who shipped Mexican agave spirits across the Atlantic in Spanish barrels.
"The new brand identity, created with brand experts Landor, reflects Lobos 1707’s commitment to quality and luxury with a sophisticated insignia, elegant bottle shape and bold color story," the brand added. "Through this refreshed aesthetic, Lobos showcases its passion for visual expression and quality production with a cohesive aesthetic that reflects the tequila’s smooth, refined taste."
