Dive Brief:

• Teremana, the tequila brand founded by Dwanye "The Rock" Johnson, launched an initiative that will reimburse consumers who purchase guacamole from local restaurants, per details emailed to Marketing Dive.
• The "Guac on the Rock" effort allows consumers to purchase guacamole and a Teremana Tequila cocktail, and then upload their itemized receipt to a microsite or scan a QR code in the restaurant. The brand will then reimburse up to $10 per person (capped at $1 million nationwide) via payment app Venmo.
• The campaign will run from May 1-5, timed with both Johnson's birthday (May 2) and Cinco de Mayo. Guac on the Rock aims to encourage people to dine out "however they feel comfortable," generating additional revenue and tips for restaurants and servers that have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

Dive Insight:

Teremana's Guac on the Rock effort sees the brand utilizing its founder for a mobile-friendly campaign that could drive sales of the tequila while supporting local restaurants and their employees impacted by the pandemic for more than a year. It also comes ahead of Cinco de Mayo, a holiday during which many endemic brands like tequila and avocados launch new campaigns, a practice that was disrupted last year but could return to somewhat normal this time around.

Even as vaccines roll out and consumers resume some pre-pandemic behaviors, the brand recognizes that not everyone is comfortable returning to restaurants and bars in the same ways as previously, and has made the initiative available for dining inside, outside or via takeout. The campaign uses contactless-friendly QR codes and Venmo, which is becoming a go-to app for sweepstakes payouts by a variety of brands.

Efforts that support restaurant and bars and their employees have proliferated during the health crisis, especially by endemic brands that saw sales dip last year due to restrictions around on-premise dining and changes to consumer behaviors. Teremana seeks to help this community in the form of increased revenue and tips, while companies like PepsiCo, Anheuser-Busch and competitor Hornitos Tequila have helped with more direct support.

Teremana launched in March 2020 and quickly broke spirit brand sales records, likely due in part to Johnson's global celebrity status. Teremana's launch followed the popularity of celeb-founded spirits brands like George Clooney's Casamigos tequila and Ryan Reynolds' Aviation Gin, which were both acquired by Diageo.