Uncensored CMO

"How Diageo’s Joint Venture will Transform Ciroc & Lobos 1707" — Nick Tran

Host: Jon Evans
Guest: Nick Tran, President of the Diageo x Main Street Advisors Joint Venture
Date: November 26, 2025

Episode Overview

In this lively and insightful episode, Jon Evans sits down with Nick Tran, the recently appointed head of the new Diageo-Main Street Advisors joint venture overseeing Ciroc Vodka and Lobos 1707 Tequila. The conversation delves into how these two iconic brands are being positioned for growth and renewed cultural relevance, the power of integrating celebrity and culture in spirits marketing, the evolving drinking landscape, innovation and brand storytelling, and lessons for marketers aiming higher in their careers.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Story Behind the Joint Venture ([00:36]–[03:46])

• Why the Joint Venture?

  • Diageo, a global powerhouse in spirits, teamed up with Main Street Advisors, renowned for their cultural connection, long-term thinking, and influential roster (LeBron James, Bono, Arnold Schwarzenegger, etc.).
  • Nick Tran was brought in to bridge operations, marketing, and culture, giving him broad autonomy.

  "Being able to bridge that gap between audiences and operations and filling that space with the marketing and the cultural elements has been a real big opportunity and why I'm excited to be here."
  — Nick Tran [00:50]

• Long-Term Perspective

  • Both partners are committed to playing the long game, aiming for meaningful brand-building rather than chasing quarterly sales.

  "...they are taking the long view on not only brands, but on individuals. [...] They've given me almost full autonomy to build the team as I see fit and bring the brands to life in the way that I think is, you know, the right approach."
  — Nick Tran [03:01]

2. Joint Venture as a Platform for Freedom & Innovation ([03:46]–[06:11])

• Organizational Synergy
  • Drawing parallels to previous joint ventures, Jon reflects on the unique freedom such setups give marketers to take risks and innovate.
• Ownership Mentality
  • Nick emphasizes the “startup within a larger portfolio” approach, leveraging strengths from both Diageo and Main Street Advisors.

3. Ciroc’s Repositioning: ‘Athletic Club’ not Nightclub ([06:11]–[10:25])

• Brand Turnaround Strategy

  • Ciroc is moving from its traditional nightclub party image to a more inclusive, aspirational "athletic club" vibe—targeting sophisticated, health-conscious consumers in premium casual settings.

  "...moving into a new area where I think there's going to be a lot of growth. So the way that we're thinking about it right now is how do we move it from the nightclub which it was basically born out of and into an athletic club..."
  — Nick Tran [06:22]

• Demographic Focus & Product Story

  • Targeting 25–35-year-olds seeking premium yet conscious lifestyle choices.
  • Surfacing the unique product story—Ciroc is made from French grapes, not potatoes or grains—a detail many consumers and even Nick himself hadn’t realized.

• Brand Accessibility

  • Creating premium yet inclusive club pop-ups, echoing the approachable aspiration "find your beach" campaign of Corona.

4. The Spirits Playbook Old and New ([10:25]–[14:15])

• Cultural Relevance, Innovation, and Serve

  • Classic spirits marketing pillars—culture, innovation (flavors), and the “perfect serve”—still matter but must evolve.

• Brand Fun & Simplicity

  • While Ciroc is known for flavor innovation, Nick believes in focusing on a core set of standout flavors, possibly with regional stories (think Peach in Georgia, Apple in NYC).

  "We're definitely going to lock in on a handful of cocktails that we think we can really win and own..."
  — Nick Tran [13:57]

• Lobos 1707’s Edge

  • Its unique sherry cask finish provides a powerful point of difference for signature serves.

5. Changing Drinking Habits & Generational Trends ([14:15]–[19:02])

• Data vs. Headlines on Gen Z Drinking

  • Nick busts myths: while headlines say Gen Z isn’t drinking, legal-age Gen Zers drink similarly to previous generations.
  • Unique behaviors: 'zebra striping' (alternating alcoholic/non-alcoholic drinks), closing the tab after every drink adds subtle resistance.

  "...the new generation might be entering the workforce at 23 or 24. And we see typical consumption happen around that time. [...] Once you cut the data and you look at the ones that are in the workforce, it's actually a little bit higher than previous generations..."
  — Nick Tran [14:31]

• Product Trends

  • Spirits categories follow cultural waves: after surges in gin, vodka, tequila, cider, etc., category success is about cultural relevance, not just what’s “hot.”
  • Cocktail innovation continues, e.g., tequila espresso martinis, new golf course cocktails (like "the transfusion").

6. Building Cultural Relevance ([19:02]–[24:09])

• No Simple Formula

  • Spotting and responding to cultural trends requires intuition, experience, and a team that “gets” culture.

• From Short-Form to Entertainment Brands

  • Brands must move beyond viral short-form content to more enduring, episodic worlds—treating their output as entertainment competing with Netflix, not just other ads.

  "...the brands that see themselves as entertainment companies that happen to have a product that fuels the growth of that entertainment channel tend to do a lot better..."
  — Nick Tran [23:00]

• Liquid Death as a Model

  • A challenger brand that outperforms giants by innovating in distribution and, crucially, by treating every ad as entertainment.

7. Celebrity Influence: A US Phenomenon ([24:09]–[27:17])

• Role of Celebrity-Backed Brands

  • In the US, celebrity involvement is mainstream and impactful—examples include Ryan Reynolds' Aviation Gin and LeBron James with Lobos.
  • Nick warns that celebrity involvement only works if the product is excellent and the community, not just the individual, is at the brand’s core.

  "Celebrities aren't like a guaranteed lever of success when you're building a brand. [...] I'm really focused on the community and less on the individual celebrity."
  — Nick Tran [26:35]

8. The Power of Personal Branding ([27:17]–[32:13])

• Consistency Beats Opportunism

  • Nick shares how intentional, consistent personal branding (not just when job-hunting) yields enduring opportunities—for himself and his team.

  "If you were just to track people's behaviors on LinkedIn, you could basically find out when they're unhappy or when they're happy with the job. And what I realized is, you know, it's better to be consistent, it's better to provide a point of view..."
  — Nick Tran [27:41]

• Encouraging Team Visibility

  • Advocates for leaders and marketers to engage in the broader industry dialogue—not just self-promotion.

9. Career & Leadership: Advice for Marketers ([32:13]–[35:57])

• Aim Higher—Don’t Cap Ambition at CMO

  • Nick challenges marketers to see CEO and President roles as achievable, not just dream jobs in marketing.

  "I don't think people who enter the world of marketing aim high enough [...] a lot of the top executives, whether they're presidents or CEOs, tend to be in the CFO to CEO or COO to CEO realm because a lot of CMOs have never pictured themselves to become presidents or CEOs..."
  — Nick Tran [32:13]

• Skill Set Evolution

  • The modern CMO blends creative flair, business acumen—even P&L, commercial strategy, and data fluency are essential.

10. Investing, AI, and the Future of Marketing ([37:06]–[51:20])

• What Nick Looks for as an Investor

  • Looks beyond financials to team, brand fun, and differentiation—he wants to be able to contribute value, not just capital.

  "I try to look at brands that I think I can provide some value in that allows them to have a competitive advantage that is less about the product..."
  — Nick Tran [37:17]

• Personal Brand & Serendipity

  • Building a brand for yourself attracts serendipitous opportunities—like helping bring the Kanye West documentary "Jeen-Yuhs" to life.

• AI & Advertising: Humanizing Technology

  • AI-related ad campaigns provoke more fear than excitement; ChatGPT’s humanized, everyday-problem approach is a powerful creative response.
  • Nick predicts initial skepticism toward AI (as with social media and TV ads historically) will diminish as it becomes more normalized and useful.

  "...efficiency, the creativity and innovation that'll come out of this AI wave that'll help marketers do things in a much more interesting manner. It'll be leaps and bounds more relevant to people than they realize now."
  — Nick Tran [44:18]

• Peak Social Media and Future Trends

  • As AI-generated accounts proliferate, social trust will revert to real experts and credible figures; Nick anticipates a move toward category-specific platforms and deeper authenticity.

11. Experiential & In-Real-Life Brand Building ([48:32]–[49:53])

• Digital Detox and Real-World Experiences
  • Jon and Nick note the current surge in demand for live, in-person events after COVID. The future of brands like Ciroc will be grown not just online but in real, memorable social settings.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Brand Reinvention:

  "[Ciroc is] almost a startup brand within the overall portfolio. [...] We're just evolving [the leisure positioning] to make it a little more actionable and let people know that we want them to leisure well."
  — Nick Tran [09:09]

• On Short-Form Content:

  "Most people now, when they reflect on the content that they've seen, they remember the trends, but they don't remember which brands were involved with those trends."
  — Nick Tran [20:00]

• On Ambitious Marketers:

  "Marketers need to aim higher. I don't think the journey ends at the CMO..."
  — Nick Tran [51:01]

• On Personal Brand and Opportunity:

  "...you're still going to be your brand. And people sometimes think that they're the titles that they have. When I don't think that's the case anymore..."
  — Nick Tran [41:10]

• On Investing and Fun:

  "There's a strong correlation between how much fun you have on a brief and how good the work is."
  — Jon Evans [38:57]

Key Timestamps

• 00:36: Nick Tran on the origins and rationale of the joint venture
• 06:22: Repositioning Ciroc: from nightclubs to athletic clubs
• 14:31: Drinking trends: what’s really happening with Gen Z
• 19:14: Nick’s approach to cultural relevance
• 23:00: Why brands must become entertainment companies
• 32:13: Nick’s career advice for aspiring marketers
• 37:17: Investing in brands—as an operator and value-add investor
• 44:18: Advertising AI: handling fear and driving acceptance
• 48:53: Real-world experiences and the resurgence of in-person events
• 51:01: "Aim higher": Nick’s message to marketers

Takeaway: If You Only Remember One Thing

"Marketers need to aim higher. I don't think the journey ends at the CMO... that shouldn't be the end."

— Nick Tran [51:01]

This episode is a compelling case for bold thinking in both brand building and personal ambition. Whether it’s how to make a vodka culturally relevant, the real trends shaping how people drink and choose brands, or why CMOs should picture themselves as CEOs, Nick Tran brings fresh energy and sharp insight to the intersection of marketing, culture, and leadership.