Código: A Secret Worth Sharing

Outdoor lounge and bar area at sunset with string lights overhead, featuring a central bar labeled 'Tequila Código 1530', seating areas with tables and umbrellas, and a view of the ocean and distant hills.

Preparing the ultra-
premium tequila
for global growth

Código 1530 is an ultra-premium tequila, discovered and developed by its founder for his own enjoyment with friends. A best-kept secret, you might say. After acquiring the brand, Pernod Ricard set out to make Código the world’s number one ultra-premium tequila, starting in Europe.

We built the foundations: brand positioning, creative platform, design strategy, messaging, TOV, brand world and a global activation toolkit. The name pays homage to ‘Los Códigos’, the time-honoured codes and customs of Jalisco. Our platform, ‘A Secret Worth Sharing’, reflects that heritage, the artisanal value in the liquid and the founder’s wish to share his secret.

Hand holding a bottle of Código 1530 Rosa tequila with blurred outdoor seating in the background and the text 'Tequila's Best Kept Secret Código 1530' on the left.

Five Código 1530 tequila bottles in a row, each with a distinct label: Blanco, Rosa, Reposado, Añejo, and Origen. Below each bottle is an artistic photo: Blanco with ice cubes in glasses on wood table, Rosa with two hands holding a bottle and glasses of rosé tequila in sunlight, Reposado with golden tequila pouring and reflections, Añejo held by hand with a wine glass and blurred warm background, and Origen with two glasses of tequila casting long shadows on a light surface.

Cracking the code
through design

Focusing on a target consumer profile that we called the Origenals and employing our 'Missouri Maths' brand-building method, we married brand, product and consumer truths to create the brand compass.

This gave clear creative direction for an inspiring design strategy and a brand world that looks distinctive and consistent across every channel and touchpoint.

Outdoor bar and lounge area with modern seating, umbrellas, string lights, and a view of a calm blue sea and distant hills under a clear sky.

A modern tequila bar with a wooden counter displaying illuminated 'Tequila CÓDIGO 1530' text. Behind the counter is a lit geometric wall design holding several bottles, with warm ambient lighting and cushioned bench seating on either side.

A folded drinks menu for Tequila Código 1530 on a dark textured surface, featuring a warm background with glasses and agave plants.

Wooden tabletop display holding an upright sign with a blurred image of a tequila bottle and the text 'How Myths Become Legends' in a softly lit bar setting with shelves of bottles in the background.

Sharing the secret across
markets and channels

We then executed the strategy with comprehensive brand guidelines, drinks strategy and activation toolkit, covering On Trade, Off Trade, digital channels and trade events, with a focus on creating shared experiences.