BRAVE COMMERCE: Heaven Hill Brands’ Matt Blevins on Long-Term Brand Building, Consumer Behavior Shifts, and Modernizing Spirits

Date: December 2, 2025
Host: Adweek
Guests:

• Matt Blevins, Chief Marketing Officer, Heaven Hill Brands
• Rachel Tipograph (Co-host, Founder & CEO, MikMak)
• Sarah Hofstetter (Co-host, Chairwoman, Profitero)

Episode Overview

This episode of BRAVE COMMERCE explores enduring marketing principles, the balance of art and science in brand building, and how spirits marketers like Heaven Hill Brands adapt to modern consumer behaviors and technology trends. Matt Blevins, CMO of Heaven Hill, shares insights on how long-term thinking shapes their approach, the evolving digital journey of spirits shoppers, and how the headlines often miss nuanced shifts within the beverage alcohol category.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Fundamentals of Modern Marketing (01:35–05:29)

• Marketing Principles Haven’t Changed: Matt, Rachel, and Sarah set the stage discussing how, despite real-time data and new tech, marketing still centers on basic principles: deeply knowing your consumer and staying grounded in the four Ps (Product, Price, Place, Promotion).

  • Sarah: “Know your consumer deeply. Tie it all back to the consumer... It's just so core to who we are and what we do.” (03:10)
  • Rachel: Quotes Marshall McLuhan — “The medium is the message.” She frames marketing as inextricably linked to how consumers interact with media, and by proxy, commerce. (04:19)

• Matt’s Economics Background: Matt Blevins describes how his economics education—a blend of quantitative analysis and understanding of consumer behavior—shaped his approach to marketing spirits, emphasizing that balance of art and science.

  • “I think that balance of art and science is true in economics. It's very obviously consumer led... then you try to put data and analysis to that.” (06:15)

Art & Science: Measurement and Long-Term Brand Building (07:36–11:18)

• Measuring What Matters: Matt outlines the challenge of measurement in spirits marketing—success often happens over years, not quarters, so it’s vital to focus on long-term brand awareness and ‘mental availability’ rather than just short-term KPIs.

  • “Just because something is measurable doesn't always make it a good measure for that long, long term orientation.” (08:34)
  • “Pretty good measurement gets you what you need to make decisions... try, test and learn and then keep moving forward.” (10:10)

• Strategic Patience at Heaven Hill: As a privately held firm, Heaven Hill has the luxury to think longer-term and avoid being reactive to every new trend or data point, allowing for more consistency in brand building.

Navigating Real-Time, Tech-Driven Marketing vs. Enduring Principles (11:18–14:25)

• Balancing New Tech and Fundamentals:

  • Matt acknowledges the pressure to embrace shiny new marketing tech—AI, optimization, real-time—while warning against chasing fads at the expense of enduring fundamentals.
    • “I don't think the principles of marketing have changed that much in a long time and I don't think they're going to change overnight.” (11:58)
    • “Are you making consumers aware? Is your brand distinctive and standing out and are you relevant in the right occasions for your brand?” (13:30)

• Ecosystem Nuance: Unlike some fast-moving consumer goods, most spirits are not bought via direct-to-consumer eCommerce but rather are an “in-store” category, emphasizing the importance of real-world presence complemented by digital touchpoints.

Modern Consumer Behaviors & The Digital Journey (14:25–18:25)

• Engaging the Digital Path to Purchase:

  • Digital and social media now inform and inspire purchasing, even if the final transaction happens in-store.
  • “I'm actually going to get some education from a tequila expert…maybe watch that before I go into the store…Or he prompts me to go into the store and I’m trying my hand at mixology and I’m following some mixology accounts on Instagram...” (16:25)
  • Heaven Hill invests in education and content creation across YouTube, Instagram, Reddit, and more, to ensure brand discovery and engagement happens at every point of the shopper journey.

• Trade Ecosystem: On-premise (bars, restaurants) and off-premise (retailers) channels, plus bartender education, remain critical.

The State of the Spirits Industry: Headlines vs. Nuance (18:25–22:21)

• COVID-19 Boom and Consumer Shifts:

  • Recent sensational headlines about the beverage alcohol industry can miss key context—the recent surge in at-home consumption during COVID-19, for instance, is now normalizing.
    • “When you're in a storm, even a lightning bug looks like it could be a lighthouse in the distance.” (19:38)

• What’s Actually Changing:

  • Generational differences (Gen Z) are often overstated. The real trends:
    • Premiumization: People treat themselves with higher-end spirits, a decades-long trend.
    • Moderation: Less about abstaining; more about drinking thoughtfully, a positive for spirits as cocktails replace higher-volume beer/wine.
    • Innovation: RTDs (ready-to-drink), new flavors, and new consumption occasions are growing—Gen Z is “more open to…new ways of consuming.”
  • “The nuance that I think is missed is…by all evidence their behaviors [Gen Z] really aren't a whole lot different, but how they show up is a lot different.” (20:30)
  • “Innovation has been winning... Generation Z I think is more and more open to give me new options. They're looking at new ways of consuming and are not maybe as stuck in old category definitions.” (21:20)

Modernizing Iconic Brands: The Case of Tequila Ocho (22:21–24:16)

• Refreshing Brands for Today:
  • Heaven Hill’s approach is strategic and authentic—updating look and feel while staying true to brand essence.
    • Most recently, Tequila Ocho received a facelift: “It wasn't a massive shift in that brand, but it was really about bringing its positioning...as the world's best sipping tequila, bring it to life through a beautiful new bottle label that really emphasizes the Tequila Ocho name.” (22:54)
  • Ongoing assessment: Brands are modernized when feedback (from consumers or the trade) and performance data signal an opportunity; often subtle tweaks keep brands relevant and distinctive.

Memorable Moments & Notable Quotes

• On Media and Commerce:

  • Rachel: "Whatever happens in media will soon happen to commerce because it’s the same relationship with the end user." (04:24)

• Long-term vs. Short-term Pressures:

  • Matt: "Just because something can be measured...doesn’t always mean it’s important for the long-term. We strive for a holistic view." (08:36)

• On Consumer Behavior & Nuance:

  • Matt: “When you’re in a storm, even a lightning bug looks like it could be a lighthouse in the distance.” (19:38)

The Bravest Thing Matt Has Ever Done (24:16–25:16)

• Professional Bravery: “Bravery for me is sometimes it’s showing up every day. I think in a professional setting, it’s taking on leadership...Leadership is always an act of stepping out of your comfort zone.”
• Personal Bravery: “I’ve raised two wonderful children… that is an act of bravery every day.” (24:27)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Marketing 101, First Principles – 02:45–05:29
• Matt’s Background & Approach – 06:11–07:36
• Art, Science, and Measurement Challenges – 07:36–11:18
• Balancing Tech Trends and Marketing Fundamentals – 11:18–14:25
• Consumer Behaviors: Digital & RL Journeys – 14:25–18:25
• Industry Trends & Missing Nuance – 18:25–22:21
• Modernizing Portfolios: Tequila Ocho Example – 22:21–24:16
• Bravery Question / Conclusion – 24:16–25:25

Conclusion

This episode offers a candid, insightful look into how a leading spirits marketer balances timeless brand-building strategies with today’s reality of technology-driven consumer journeys. Listeners will appreciate Matt Blevins’ nuanced take on category trends, Heaven Hill’s measured approach to brand modernization, and the value of sticking to fundamental marketing truths amid a landscape obsessed with quick wins and flashy novel tactics.