What began as an organic Instagram moment – Shaun White casually sharing his go-to PATRÓN Silver margarita recipe with his millions of followers – sparked something bigger. When the five-time Olympian authentically declared PATRÓN his "G.O.A.T." (Greatest Of All Time) tequila, the brand recognized a unique opportunity to transform this genuine endorsement into something extraordinary.
PATRÓN Tequila leveraged this authentic connection to create a breakthrough partnership during the 2024 Las Vegas Grand Prix, one that would transcend traditional celebrity endorsements. The strategy was clear: when one G.O.A.T. names his G.O.A.T., you don't just share it – you celebrate it. The brand aimed to leverage Shaun's "Greatest Of All Time" status to crown PATRÓN as the "Greatest Of All Tequila" in a way that would resonate authentically with both his followers and the target audience.
The partnership objectives were to:
Building on the organic foundation of Shaun White's social media appreciation for PATRÓN, the team crafted a multi-layered strategy that would feel like a natural extension of his initial posts. Rather than treating Shaun as just another celebrity face, the team built their approach around his genuine enthusiasm for the brand, creating multiple touchpoints during the Las Vegas Grand Prix that would feel authentic to both his followers and PATRÓN Tequila’s audience.
The partnership launched with "GOAT Talk," an organic conversation between Shaun and hip-hop icon Big Boi for Complex. This strategic pairing created instant cultural credibility, with both legends discussing their G.O.A.T. PATRÓN cocktails and sharing personal stories that resonated with multiple audience segments.
The team then activated the PATRÓN G.O.A.T. Circuit, where Shaun surprised guests at three premium Wynn Las Vegas locations. Instead of traditional meet-and-greets, the brand positioned Shaun behind the bar, creating instantly shareable moments as he mixed PATRÓN G.O.A.T. Margaritas and picked up guests' tabs. This approach not only generated authentic, unscripted content that flooded social feeds but also created hundreds of memorable tasting moments with the brand's signature cocktail.
To maximize the partnership's impact, the team:
The partnership transformed an organic social moment into a cultural phenomenon, delivering exceptional results across every key metric. The Shaun White collaboration post generated 12.5K engagements and 370K impressions, while the campaign exceeded engagement KPIs by 35% with 14.3K organic engagements. PATRÓN secured #1 Share of Voice during F1 Vegas weekend among all spirit brands, with Shaun's G.O.A.T. Circuit Reel capturing nearly 5K engagements and 177K views. The “GOAT Talk” episode became Complex's #1 most viewed episode of 2024, while the G.O.A.T Circuit drove immediate business impact, selling four PATRÓN G.O.A.T. Margaritas per minute during the activation. The campaign generated 35.5M+ earned potential impressions through strategic partnerships and secured 118 media placements reaching 4.2B impressions, doubling year-over-year reach. Most importantly, the campaign proved that when authentic appreciation meets strategic activation, the result isn't just content – it's cultural relevance that drives real business results.