Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and the construction of Teremana Tequila
While some celebrities' partnerships with alcohol brands seem like marketing exercises, actor Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson has built Teremana Tequila from the ground up.
"I'm a serial entrepreneur, " Johnson explains. And he has a history to prove it: he created the media production company Seven Bucks with producer Dany García, his ex-wife; is co-owner of the XFL American football league; and co-created the energy drink Zoa, in which Molson Coors has a minority stake.
In March 2020, he expanded that business empire into the spirits sector with the launch of Teremana Tequila. To found the brand, Johnson partnered once again with García, and also tapped Jenna Fagnan and Ken Austin, industry veterans who helped build Tequila Avión, which was acquired by Pernod Ricard in 2018.
Teremana Tequila, a passion project
Teremana Tequila is a passion project for Johnson. His family and friends have enjoyed tequila for years "through the good times, the not-so-good times, and everything in between."
The brand name includes the Polynesian word "mana, " meaning "spirit, " as a nod to Johnson's heritage, who has added personal touches to Teremana Tequila's packaging design: the bottom of each bottle is engraved with "Tijasi, " a combination of the first two letters of his three daughters' names: Tiana, Jasmine and Simone.
His love for tequila and his connection with the Teremana Tequila brand mean that he has been involved in production from day one. "It's my way of acting, and I insisted on being present at every step of the liquid's development, " he says.
His team went through 113 distillations before coming up with the final recipe. "I insisted on that participation because it's the only way to really learn the process from start to finish. I needed to educate myself, " he explains.
To create the Teremana Tequila range, the co-founders partnered with the López family, who have been growing agave and making tequila for decades at their distillery in Jesús María, Jalisco, Mexico. Through this partnership, the family became co-owners of the brand and a distillery was built for Teremana on the grounds of their larger facility.
During the development of Teremana Tequila, Johnson aimed to achieve "the great trifecta": "flavor, quality and affordability." The brand adheres to a “small batch” ethic.
His love for tequila and his connection with the Teremana Tequila brand mean that he has been involved in production from day one.
"The team only uses one process, and everything involved in the production process is made there, including brick ovens, copper stills, open fermentation tanks, and of course, the tequila. We harvest fully ripe agave, slow roast it in old-world brick ovens, and distill it in small handcrafted copper stills for a rich, flavorful tequila that reflects the land it comes from."
The Teremana Tequila range
The first two expressions of Teremana Tequila, the blanco and the reposado, went on sale in the United States in March 2020, just when the first wave of Covid-19 reached the country. The timing of commercialization presented some major hurdles for the brand.
“The first challenge was having to reshape consumer behavior in the middle of a global pandemic, ” Johnson says. "During crises, a consumer will always lean toward the product they are familiar with and that makes them feel safe and good."
Luckily, being known as 'The Rock's Tequila' made for a pretty strong start. In December 2020, after less than a year in business, the brand reported that it was on track to sell about 300,000 cases, and its 2021 sales have surpassed 600,000 cases, feats of which Johnson and his team are "pretty proud."
"Little by little I was able to penetrate the purchasing habits of consumers and get them to take a risk with our tequila, " he says.
Johnson has no qualms about leveraging his public presence to market the brand. He posts regularly about Teremana on his Instagram, which has more than 280 million followers, and has fronted several Teremana Tequila advertising campaigns.
During the development of Teremana Tequila, Johnson aimed to achieve "the great trifecta": "flavor, quality and affordability."
For Johnson, the key to approaching the category with integrity is two-fold. The first crucial element is the team behind the brand. The second aspect refers to production.
"I admit I move fast and pace, but when it comes to our spirits business, I'm experienced enough now to know to take my time and build respect for the process. Do it the right way, the old school way, " he says.
He further adds, "Business acumen and economics come into play and tend to always take care of themselves. But it is defining your purpose in business that will pave the way to quick money, quick failure, or the way to creating a true legacy."
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