What if a tequila bottle wasn’t just something you drink… but something you wear?

That’s exactly what Kendall Jenner’s 818 Tequila just pulled off with its new Mini Tequilas. Suddenly, your late-night shot has become your handbag’s cutest new accessory. And honestly? Genius.

Because here’s the thing: brands don’t live in boxes anymore. Food, fashion, lifestyle, design… it’s all one big playground people want to join.

With this move, 818 isn’t just selling tequila anymore. It’s selling a lifestyle. It’s sliding into your wardrobe, your Friday nights, your “get ready with me” moments. And that shift says everything about where branding is headed.

From Products to Lifestyle Universes

818 has been testing these waters for a while. First with the iconic Eight Reserve bottle (that looks more like a sculpture than tequila), then with the College Tour (turning campus parties into brand activations), and even the Coachella Outpost (basically a mini festival inside the festival).

And now? The 818 Minis. Forget hiding in airplane carts. These tiny bottles are meant to be seen. Clipped to a bag, waved at a party, or dropped into an outfit pic. They’re tequila turned accessory.

And they’re not the only ones blurring the lines. Zara went from clothes to cafés. Late Checkout offers a full story with cast of characters. Jacquemus built a beach club just because… well, why not?

🌞 The point is simple: products aren’t enough anymore. The coolest brands create universes. Little worlds you can step into and carry with you.

Think Outside the Box

Here’s the truth: people are bored of predictable products and content. Another perfectly posed product shot on a white background? Snooze.

What we want: experiences. We want fun. We want to be surprised. IT’S OUT OF THE ORDINARY ? WE LOOOVE IT

818 gets this. Instead of letting Minis rot in airplane carts, they set them free. Suddenly, tequila becomes part of an outfit, a bag accessory, a lifestyle item. Same drink, but reimagined through culture.

That playfulness is what makes it brilliant. Like Vacation Inc. reimagining sunscreen packaging into a whipped cream can. Crazy? Totally. Memorable? Absolutely.

🌞 What we learn: REIMAGINE your product. How it’s consumed, how it’s shown. Make it fun. Make it surprising.

Branding That Walks With You

What’s smarter than an ad? A client carrying your brand *everywhere they go.*

That’s exactly what the Minis do. They’re not just tequila. They’re **walking ads.** Dangling from purses, showing up at parties, exchanged between friends. Real people. Real life. Real moments. And that’s what makes it authentic.
And honestly, 818’s merch game has been strong from the start. Hoodies and tees that feel like legit fashion drops. Now, Minis are just the next evolution: merch you can literally drink.
🌞 **What we learn**: the strongest branding doesn’t just *tell* a story. It gives people a way to *carry* the story with them.

Affordable Luxury That Expands the Universe

A full bottle of 818? It’s around 50€. Clearly, it’s not cheap and will not be an impulse buy. But a 4€ Mini? That’s pure little treat territory.

This is luxury playbook 101: give people entry points. Fashion houses have tote bags or keychains. Beauty has travel minis. They’re not “cheaper versions.” They’re doorways.

With Minis, 818 lets anyone clip the brand to their bag and join the universe. And who knows? Maybe next time, they’ll reach for the big bottle.

🌞 What we learn: Entry products aren’t just add-ons. They’re invitations.

Beyond Tequila: A Playbook for Every Brand

This isn’t just a tequila story. It’s a playbook for any brand looking to evolve into lifestyle :

Tourism → Don’t just sell a trip. Sell an experience. Like Bad Bunny’s Puerto Rico residency wasn’t just THE concert of 2025. It was a BIG cultural moment for the country.
Hospitality → A hotel is no longer just a room. The Hoxton works because it’s a lifestyle hub: work, food, events. Guests aren’t just customers. They’re members of a club.
Design → Furniture isn’t just utility. It’s cool. It’s self-expression. It’s art. Gustaf Westman doesn’t just sell chairs. He sells a bubblegum-colored world we all want to live in. His collabs (like Ikea) make that universe accessible to everyone.

🌞 What we learn: whatever your sector, ask yourself : if my brand was a universe, what’s the smallest, most playful way someone could experience it?

The Big Shift

818 Minis aren’t just a clever launch. They’re a signal.

We’ve officially entered the era where branding = world-building. Where the smartest brands stop acting like products, and start living like experiences. Their own worlds, with their own rules.

And the proof? While the tequila industry grew only 2% last year, 818 shot up 40% (Marketing Dive). That’s not just tequila. That’s branding, hun’.

We’re moving from products people buy → to worlds people join.