A Worldwide Toast to Kentucky Bourbon.

After rebranding the Kentucky Bourbon Trail^® and launching its new website, Lewis and the Bourbon Trail™ hosted the first-ever Worldwide Toast to Kentucky Bourbon. On September 17th, 2024, Bourbon enthusiasts worldwide were invited to join a 26-hour live stream event celebrating at 4pm in every timezone around the world – featuring special guests and Bourbon notables thanking viewers for making Kentucky Bourbon a global success.

The event aimed to spotlight Kentucky Bourbon's global popularity while expanding the Bourbon Trail's reach to affluent international tourists. Success was measured by participation and social growth, targeting 2,500 participants across 10 countries and a 1% increase in social followers. However, the campaign faced challenges, including the complexity of hosting a large-scale live stream, requiring round-the-clock management, and custom streaming solutions to accommodate a live stream lasting longer than 24 hours – a feat more than one of our partners had never done.

The Worldwide Toast generated a collective reach of 17 million through social and earned media coverage with toast participants representing 32 countries across 6 continents. Celebrity guests like Chef Art Smith and Maria Montgomery amplified the buzz. Exceeding goals, the event saw thousands of live stream participants, 3,300+ new social followers (1.28% growth), and a 60% spike in KBT website traffic, marking its highest session count YTD. The successful campaign not only strengthened brand affinity but also established the Toast as a new annual tradition.