Cinco de Mayo is a key consumption moment for the Margarita, yet continued economic pressure has made consumers more intentional about how they celebrate. As the named spirit brand in The Original Margarita recipe, Cointreau set out to meet this moment by returning with a bigger, bolder evolution of its award-winning Lime of Credit campaign—one that felt culturally relevant and unmistakably ownable. The primary objective was to build on the success of the 2024 Lime of Credit program by expanding its scale and impact, while reinforcing Cointreau as the essential ingredient in Margaritas made the MargaRight way.. Key goals of the campaign included driving awareness and engagement through a national sweepstakes anchored by a highly interactive microsite; increasing entries and opt-ins through tongue-in-cheek humor, education, and repeat-entry mechanics; reinforcing Cointreau’s authority in The Original Margarita through its ownable “MargaRight” messaging; and extending the campaign beyond digital with a new in-person activation in a key market. Ultimately, the campaign was designed to ensure that when consumers thought about having Margaritas during Cinco de Mayo, they ordered them with Cointreau.
Cointreau brought the 2025 Lime of Credit campaign to life through an integrated approach spanning digital, social, earned media, and experiential execution—each anchored by a central, ownable idea. At the heart of the campaign was the Lime of Credit microsite, Cointreau.com/LimeofCredit, designed to mimic a credit card application using tongue-in-cheek financial language. Consumers nationwide were invited to “apply” for a chance to win up to $500 via a digital payment app – which they were encouraged to use for Cinco de Mayo celebrations with family and friends. The experience blended cocktail education, interactive content, and shareable social elements to encourage repeat visits, multiple entries, and opt-in to the brands CRM list for future communications—all while reinforcing Cointreau’s role in The Original Margarita. New for 2025, Cointreau expanded the campaign offline with the introduction of The MargaRight Vault, a one-day pop-up hosted along NYC’s High Line. Guests enjoyed complimentary MargaRight Margaritas, exclusive merchandise, a DJ, and photo-worthy activations. Brand Ambassadors circulated the event space with QR codes directing attendees to the microsite, driving in-the-moment sweepstakes sign-ups and seamlessly connecting the in-person experience back to the digital campaign. To amplify pre-event excitement, Cointreau partnered with a CGI artist to develop eye-catching assets featuring iconic New York City landmarks, including Times Square, Grand Central, and the Manhattan Bridge. These visuals were deployed across social and digital channels, tapping into trending CGI formats and reinforcing strong MargaRight messaging to drive traffic to the microsite and build anticipation for the MargaRight Vault pop-up. The campaign was supported by a robust earned media strategy spanning consumer, lifestyle, entertainment, and spirits trade outlets. Strategic outreach, compelling visuals, and timely placement helped Cointreau break through a crowded Cinco de Mayo landscape, ensuring consistent storytelling across all touchpoints. By combining experiential activations, eye-catching CGI, and cocktail education, Cointreau delivered a campaign that evolved the Lime of Credit concept while staying true to its original insight.
The 2025 Lime of Credit campaign exceeded its objectives across consumer engagement, media impact, and brand relevance. The sweepstakes generated 73,809 entries (+30% vs. YA) from 20,498 unique entrants, with consumers averaging 3.60 entries per person—surpassing both industry norms and last year’s 2.48 average. Nearly 44% of participants (9,058) opted in for future Cointreau communications, significantly exceeding the 25–30% benchmark and strengthening long-term engagement opportunities. The introduction of the MargaRight Vault successfully translated digital excitement into real-world participation. More than 1,000 complimentary MargaRight Margaritas were served, while on-site QR-driven sign-ups connected the experiential moment directly back to the sweepstakes, extending engagement beyond the event itself. Across earned media, the campaign secured more than 200 placements, generating 2.09 billion impressions (+20% vs. YA) with social adding 1.73 million impressions, driven in part by CGI creative helping the campaign stand out visually during a highly competitive cultural moment. By returning with a bigger, bolder execution, Cointreau reinforced the MargaRight ethos, elevated share of mind and mouth and ensured The Original Margarita stayed front and center during the nation’s favorite Margarita moment.
