For Tullamore D.E.W., St. Patrick’s Day isn’t just a cultural celebration—it’s also big business. Irish whiskey continues to see explosive growth, particularly in the U.S., which accounts for 40 percent of exports. And as the second biggest brand in the category, Tully is leaning on experiential to stay relevant and score mindshare at events like San Diego’s ShamROCK. So we asked Paul Coffey, senior brand manager, how Tullamore is driving success with the help of its mobile pubs and an agile strategy.
A NIMBLE APPROACH
In 2024, the brand rolled out a mobile Irish pub experience at ShamROCK dubbed Tully Tavern. The strategy was an instant success, and this year, a fleet of taverns rolled into St. Patrick’s Day parades, events and activations. The setup includes a four-keg draft system featuring two taps, typically one for cold-brew Irish coffee and the other for Tully Honey Lemonade, a sweet, carbonated whiskey lemonade cocktail. But beyond the taps, consumers are welcome to try any of Tullamore D.E.W.’s whiskies, neat or on the rocks. It’s a low-pressure, high-touch approach to sampling.
“It is a traveling mobile Irish pub, so we can bring the fun to people all over,” Coffey says. “It makes us really nimble; we can kind of show up anywhere.”
Tully Taverns have yielded some meaningful data, he says, allowing the brand to know what kinds of consumers are most interested in its products and which cocktails are the most popular. “We track both to see: What’s working? What’s not working? Do we need to switch something out? And then, of course, the ever-important cost-per-sample is one that we’re always looking at.”
HOLIDAY RECRUITMENT
People from all walks of life celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in the U.S., and for Tullamore, that opens up an opportunity to reach consumers that may not typically drink Irish whiskey. Whereas tequila dominates Cinco De Mayo, says Coffey, the brand considers St. Paddy’s as its “tentpole” event.
“It’s not just a cultural moment where we celebrate our heritage; but it’s also a really good recruitment strategy because it brings in all kinds of folks to come celebrate St Patrick’s Day,” he says. “And for a lot of them, this may be the first time they engage with Irish whiskey. So it’s a good opportunity for us to create memorable experiences that drive consumer loyalty down the road, and also the chance to recruit and bring people into the category… It’s one time of year when everyone’s thinking about all things Irish.”
SMALLER-SCALE EVENTS
On top of the countless on-premise accounts that roll out Tullamore-themed specials and touchpoints around the holiday, the brand activates its mobile tavern experience at a host of St. Patrick’s Day events and parades. But you won’t find Tully at a massive event amid a sea of sponsors.
Instead, the company focuses on “showing up at small and mid-size events, rather than just focusing on the huge music festivals,” Coffey says. This year, Tullamore found its sweet spot sponsoring events like the Philly Whiskey Walk in Philadelphia, the Northwest Side Irish Parade in Chicago and Paddy Fest in St. Petersburg, FL.
Looking ahead, Coffey says the Tully Tavern experience won’t go away any time soon, adding that while Tullamore considers St. Patrick’s Day sponsorships core to its strategy, its IRL marketing efforts also expand beyond the holiday (look no further than the brand’s partnership with the New York Mets).
“I think what keeps us relevant is mostly that we take a consumer-focused approach to everything,” says Coffey. “So whether that’s our sports partnership with the Mets at Citi Field where we put on an amazing baseball experience for folks, or live festivals, or St Patrick’s Day parades, we try to make sure every one of these touchpoints is fully immersive and engaging… For us, the ultimate conversion tactic is having people taste the ‘juice.’ So wherever I can get trial to a relevant consumer, I’m all in.”
