Building a gin brand story that is true

Why true beats clever

A brand story is a promise about where the gin comes from and who made it. Bar staff repeat it. Journalists check it. Regulators and rivals read the label and the website. Any claim that cannot be shown becomes a weakness.

Facts are also easier to build on. A story rooted in what you actually do gives you something to say next year and the year after without a new invention.

Find the facts worth telling

Make a list of true things about your gin and its making:

• Who developed the recipe and why.
• Where the botanicals come from and which ones are grown close by.
• How the gin is made: your still, your cuts, your batch size.
• Where it is made and by whom.
• What the gin is for: a long drink, a martini, a gift.
• What you chose not to do.

Ask a friend which items they would repeat in a bar. Those are the ones that carry.

Claims to avoid unless you can prove them

A few phrases attract trouble:

• "Handcrafted" or "small batch" with no definition. Say how small and how crafted.
• Heritage or old recipes that you cannot document.
• A named place of origin when the gin is not made there.
• "Distilled by us" when a partner distillery did the work.
• Any health or wellness claim about botanicals.

Rules about these terms differ by country and change, so check the labelling and advertising rules where you sell. If you use a contract distillery, you can still tell a good story. See contract-distilled gin for how to name your partner honestly.

Use the botanicals and the place with care

A local botanical is a real story if you buy it, test it and use it in the gin. It is not a story if it is a token garnish. Say what the botanical adds to the taste. Say where it comes from only if you know. Our guide on sourcing botanicals commercially covers how to keep that supply steady enough to put on a label.

Be careful about place. Naming a place is attractive and also a promise. If you borrow the name of a region, a river or a hill, make sure your connection to it is real.

Turn the story into things people see

A story is not just a paragraph on the website. It sits in the name, the label, the bottle, the way the staff talk about the gin and the way you answer a question. Keep the label text short. Put the long version on your website or a card for the trade.

Make the story the same everywhere. A founder who tells one version at a tasting and another on the website is easy to trip. Write a one-page brand note with the facts, the claims you will make and the claims you will not. Give it to everyone who sells the gin.

Marketing alcohol responsibly

Do not aim marketing at minors, do not suggest that drinking improves success or health and do not encourage heavy drinking. Follow the advertising rules of each market. Responsible marketing is also good business, because it protects your licence.

Tightening a claim and keeping a claims file

Take a line that sounds fine: "Handcrafted in small batches from rare local botanicals." Test each part. Is it handcrafted, or do machines do the cutting, filling and labelling? How small is small: a hundred litres or a thousand? Are the botanicals rare, or simply local? Can you supply them again next year?

A true version might read: "Distilled in 200 litre runs with cardamom from a grower we visit each season." It is shorter, it is specific and a curious customer can ask a follow-up question without breaking it. That sentence is only an example of structure, so write yours with your own figures.

Run every line of label and website copy through this test before you print it.

Keep one document that lists each claim you make and the proof behind it: an invoice, a photograph, a supplier letter, a lab report. When a journalist, a trade buyer or an inspector asks, you answer in minutes. When a claim has no proof in the file, remove it.

When to bring in help

We run brand and marketing consultancy for drinks businesses. It helps most when the facts exist but the story is tangled, or when the name, label and pack do not agree with each other. The work can be done remotely by video call, with site visits by arrangement.

Common questions

Can I say my gin is craft?

The word has no single legal meaning in most places. Use it with care and back it with facts such as batch size and method.

Do I have to name the distillery that makes my gin?

Rules vary. Many places require the producer or bottler on the label. Even where they do not, honest wording builds trust.

Is a founder story worth telling?

Yes, if it is true and relevant to the gin. Keep it short and specific.

Can I use a local legend in my story?

Only if you are sure of its source and that the use is respectful and legal. Check trademarks and local sensitivities.