Saddle Up

Rodeo rider honors brand’s Western roots

PENDLETON WHISKY POLE TOPPER | US
product category wine/liquor
POP type semipermanent
size 3 x 3 x 7
Contributing Shop! member: Bish Creative Display
client Proximo Spirits

In the craft spirits industry, brands usually don’t have problems telling their own story. Very often, they tap into their rich histories and find a charming way to wear their heart on their sleeve. Quirky, witty commercials win consumers over, who subconsciously keep these brands in mind before buying a case of our favorite beverage.

But when they enter a retail space, the game changes. Suddenly, a company’s 60 seconds of airtime shortens to one. The challenge of reviving brand persona becomes even harder. 

Pendleton Whisky never resorted to gimmicks. And eventually, the discipline paid off: Pendleton was finally in a position to make an aggressive sales and marketing push in stores. 

The Pendleton Whisky Pole Topper captures the brand’s Western spirit within 63 sq. ft., showcasing a three-dimensional cowboy atop a bucking horse. Behind this maverick is an eponymous old town limit sign. Multiple whisky cases facing opposite directions lie under the display. And its high-quality craftsmanship speaks to the caliber of the whisky it promotes to the earthy, authentic craft consumer of today. 

Pendleton’s cowboy is just as mobile as he looks: The Whisky Pole Topper works on counters and behind bars, finding a purpose for new consumer segments. This flexibility enabled Pendleton to further its reach, allowing the distiller to achieve 80% compliance in its first-ever POP rollout. And by personifying its brand in-store, Pendleton finally goes through the craft spirits industry’s rite of passage reserved for all-time great brands.