Mini. Single-Serving. Shooter, Nip. Many names for the small 50ML bottle of alcohol, but no reinvention or attention since they became common in the 19th century. 818 Tequila set out to bring joy and whimsy to the mundane, rethinking one of the spirits category’s most overlooked formats, the mini “nip” bottle, transforming it into a cultural moment worthy of the brand’s biggest day of the year, 8.18 Day.
Before launch, the team found a clear gap: minis had long been tied to airplane carts and hotel minibars, but never positioned as a lifestyle accessory. As Gen Z and younger Millennials embraced Little Treat Culture and the rise of bag charms, 818 saw an opportunity to reinvent minis with a modern POV, expanding their role in consumers’ lives.
To achieve this, 818 introduced its first-ever 50ML bottles of Reposado and Blanco, known as 818 Minis, alongside custom bag charms, supported by a bold, creative campaign called Free the Nip. Featuring a cheeky double meaning and refined imagery, the campaign reimagined Minis as the newest “It Girl essential” designed to accessorize bags, travel with fans, and spark conversation. With this approach, 818 went beyond a product debut to redefine how tequila can intersect with culture, design, and humor.
The brand set out to:
Introducing 818 Minis meant going beyond a traditional format launch. The team needed to elevate a practical 50ML bottle into a culturally relevant moment that aligned with 818’s brand and connected authentically with Gen Z and younger Millennials. With the September debut, the team rolled out a multiphased, cross-channel campaign rooted in fashion, spirits, and social culture to ensure Minis became the hero moment of 8.18 Day.
Cultural and category data showed increasing momentum around small-format spirits, especially health-conscious consumers looking to explore premium options with intentionality. Accessory culture was also growing, from bag charms to lip gloss keychains to collectible micro items. By connecting these trends, the team developed “Free the Nip,” a playful, culture-driven social campaign that repositions Minis beyond hotel minibars and airplanes, integrating the nip into the fashion, lifestyle, and social conversations influencing younger consumers.
Phase one included creative direction that mirrored beauty and fashion content, with Minis styled and clipped onto bags to tap into Little Treat Culture and the appeal of small indulgences. Messaging stayed lighthearted yet responsible by framing Minis as a stylish accessory to accompany an outfit or moment.
To build anticipation, the team executed embargoed outreach across lifestyle, fashion, entertainment, food and beverage, and trade verticals. Press received early access to campaign visuals, product assets, and Mini mixology content, while interviews with 818 leadership framed the launch as an innovative moment. This ensured that coverage was published in sync with 8.18 Day. In parallel, social-first assets were created for Instagram and TikTok-style behavior, using creator perspectives, cuts, and beauty references. Creator and editor seeding sparked early buzz before the announcement.
With cultural momentum established, Phase Two focused on helping fans experience Minis in real life. A national retail rollout launched alongside a Gopuff partnership featuring limited-edition Mini bag charms and keychains designed to hold the bottles. These collectible accessories provided a reason to purchase and reinforced Minis as lifestyle items. A second wave of earned outreach supported the charm drop and nationwide expansion, timed to back-to-school and fall shopping behavior.
Although the creative was playful, the team needed to ensure that the tone remained aligned with responsible spirits marketing guidelines. Since Minis are portable, extra care was required to portray them as accessories to carry, not as items to consume in non-legal settings or on the go. By focusing communication on styling, design, and portability, the team maintained cultural relevance while adhering to appropriate consumption boundaries.
Differentiation was another challenge. 818 was not the first brand to offer Minis, and the category included similar product releases. To stand out, the team repositioned Minis as fashion-driven micro accessories rather than sample-size bottles. By emphasizing cultural fluency and aesthetic storytelling, the launch secured a place in fashion and lifestyle conversations.
These solutions allowed the campaign to remain bold, responsible, and unmistakably 818, delivering a launch that resonated across media, culture, and consumer behavior.
The 818 Minis launch exceeded every brand objective, transforming 8.18 Day into one of the brand’s strongest and most culturally resonant moments to date, and demonstrating that a small-format product can have a significant cultural and business impact.
Designed to turn Minis into a shareable accessory moment, the campaign generated 210 million organic social impressions with a 10 percent engagement rate, surpassing average engagement benchmarks and demonstrating strong resonance with Gen Z and younger Millennials. This level of organic performance reinforced 818’s ability to spark meaningful cultural buzz around key brand moments.
Earned media results were equally powerful. Through strategic embargoes, multivertical outreach, and a fashion-forward creative narrative, 818 secured 175+ earned placements across top lifestyle, fashion, entertainment, travel, food and beverage, spirits, and marketing outlets. Total earned impressions reached 1.17 billion, driving a 510% increase year-over-year in 8.18 Day coverage, making it one of the strongest earned media moments the brand has produced.
The launch drove measurable shifts in consumer behavior. Gopuff-exclusive charm bundles and expanded national retail availability fueled trial during the launch window, while the accessory-led positioning introduced Minis to new consumers in a way that felt organic and culturally relevant. This work strengthened 818’s momentum in a key growth segment. According to Nielsen, 818 delivered 17% year-over-year growth in the four weeks ending 5/17/25, with 818 Blanco up 11.5% while the broader Blanco category fell 9.7%. Together, these results underscore a clear trajectory of brand strength that the Minis launch helped amplify.
