In a tequila landscape saturated with celebrity endorsements and branding, Espolòn stands as a rebellious 25-year-old tequila brand rooted in cultural authenticity. Their first-ever global campaign, “To the Bone,” celebrates this spirit with unapologetic originality. Created by forceMajeure and shot in the creative mecca of Mexico City, the campaign deliberately shatters industry clichés, replacing agave fields with vibrant urban scenes that pulse with contemporary Mexican energy. Through filmmaker Lou Escobar’s hyper-real lens, we witness real individuals who embody the campaign’s ethos—people who don’t simply stand out, but who live their truth with infectious conviction. In a market where mediocrity fades and excellence is increasingly expected, “To the Bone” achieves something far more valuable: it becomes truly unignorable.

By: Griffin Heller, Director of Development & New Business, forceMajeure

Espolòn Tequila—a long-time client—came to us with a strategic conundrum that required creativity and execution know-how. The problem was simple: tequila, as a category, is diluted with superficial, celebrity-led brands, lacking core values, depth, and purpose. Espolòn is quite the opposite, and they wanted to exploit this truth—standing for culture creators, brand history, and consumer empowerment. forceMajeure created a global campaign—Espolòn’s first ever—that bridged the gap between the brand and the consumer in a unique way, true to the audience. Executions were seen through OLV, social, out-of-home, e-commerce, on/off-trade, and programmatic. 

The strategy for the campaign was where we found the protein—Espolòn has such a unique and true position within the market that simply wasn’t utilized to its full potential prior to the campaign. Being, really, one of the only tequila brands that truly carried authenticity at its core, no matter the circumstances, we felt an obligation to center the campaign around that authenticity by celebrating the core consumer and the culture that they shape so fearlessly. “To the Bone”—the campaign tagline—serves to: 

• sing praises to the defiant consumers who unapologetically stand for being who they are
• provide a connection to the Brand’s DNA, nodding to the iconic calavera skeleton bones featured on every bottle. 

“To the Bone” celebrates the rebellious spirit of unapologetic originality, a quality that rings true for the brand and the audience. It’s not about what you are but how much you are, celebrating those who embrace their individuality on the deepest level, with no compromising. 

When we got into the creative weeds on execution and treatment, it was clear that we needed to produce everything in CDMX—the newly appointed creative capital of the world. Visually, the film and photo treatment carried the weight of showcasing the rebellious creativity of the brand and consumer—not an easy feat. Cultural authenticity practically led every decision, from end-to-end, that was made within the creative and production. The casting, locations, directing, and treatment offered a contemporary, authentic version of Mexico that confronted the industry’s standard tequila backdrop of Jalisco’s agave fields. 

The campaign features a wide range of people who embrace a bold sense of style, enjoy standing out from the status quo, and extend the invitation of originality to the people around them. They are infectious and unignorable. The vision came to life through the lens of our highly awarded photographer and filmmaker, Lou Escobar. Her distinctive, hyper-real style brought vibrancy, playfulness, and main-character energy to each focal talent, gluing the entire vision together. Through a backstage approach that lets viewers feel like part of the production, Lou captured real moments of organic, unpolished connection that highlight the authenticity central to Espolòn. “To bring the creative vision to life through this work, each character represented in the campaign is the protagonist of their own story,” said Lou. “With a mix of provocation and humor, these dynamic and emotional scenes portray the rebellious nature and authenticity of the Espolòn community. Whether they are dressing unexpectedly or moving with confidence, we see what makes them who they are at their very core.” 

The campaign was incredibly well-received by the clients and the consumers. Sales, awareness, and affinity were all positively impacted. “We have big ambitions for this brand, and ‘To the Bone’ is the ideal platform for us to connect with those who have helped us build Espolòn and also reach new global audiences,” said Raul Gonzalez, global managing director of spirits at Campari Group. He added, “We’re spotlighting the contemporary spirit and bold authenticity that has set Espolòn on a path to success from the very beginning.” In Campari Group’s first quarter sales for 2024, Espolòn climbed by 13.2%, and the brand has seen growth for the past three years, resulting in being one of the world’s biggest-selling tequilas. 

Reflecting back on the campaign, two main takeaways stand out. First off, we were brought onto the campaign pitch late in the journey, competing with a Madison Avenue ad agency—the first agency I worked at in NYC—and there were, seemingly, minimal chances of coming out on top, competing with an industry titan. We stayed true to who we are—leading with our cultural depth, understanding of the brand, and stubborn protection of creative excellence. Agency size and prestige do not carry the same weight that they used to—now, more than ever, it’s crucial to stay hungry and engaged and never take your finger off the pulse of culture. The second takeaway from ‘To the Bone’ is a reminder that good creative serves the creative, but great creative serves your client and culture. This campaign was highly rooted in brand positioning and tactical strategy, resulting in an incredibly hard-working and effective campaign that tightened the gap between the brand and the consumer. 

When in doubt, let culture be the guide. If not in doubt, follow your truth and celebrate it in unignorable ways. To conclude the ‘To the Bone’ story… being good is more dangerous than it’s ever been for brands. Being great is more frequent than ever, creating an added layer of creative complexity. Being unignorable is the new creative currency, and it requires bravery fueled by trust.

Campaign Credits: 

Agency: forceMajeure

• Executive Creative Director: Pierre Delebois 
• General Manager: Raphaelle Mahieu 
• Director of Development & New Business: Griffin Heller 
• CD/Art Director: Akriti Malhotra 
• Senior Designer: Bertha De La Torre 
• Strategy: Meilyn Weege, Julia Linekin 
• Account Manager: Carla Sofía Elizundia 
• Agency Producer: Verónica Tavizón 

Production Company: CANADA 

• Executive Producer: Charlotte Woodhead 
• Line Producer: Sophie Brooks 
• Head of Production: John Moran 
• Director: Lou Escobar 
• Director of Photography: Hunter Daly 
• Production Designer: Fernanda Contreras 
• Wardrobe Stylist: Ricardo Arenas 
• Service Production Company: Habitant 

Post-Production 

• Grading: Lula Bolatti 
• Original Music: “Lamento en la Selva” by Los Mirlos 
• Campaign-Exclusive Remix: Esperanza y Maria Josefa de Velasco Hinojosa 

Espolòn® Tequila: 

• Global Managing Director of Spirits: Raul Gonzalez 
• Global Senior Director of White Spirits: Andres Brito 
• Global Mexican Spirits Director: Gustavo Guerra 
• Global Senior Brand Managers: Meredith Nelson, Audrey Vernick

forceMajeure is a New York-based, award-winning creative agency with 20+ years of experience in branding, design, art direction, and communication for the spirits and wines, beauty, luxury, and lifestyle industries.

An international team of 30 passionate designers, imaginative strategists, and curious innovators build transformative, successful, and long-lasting brand and product experiences with their clients. Strategically sound and beautifully crafted, our designs and campaigns deliver results, awareness, and market growth.

In 25 years, we have created a portfolio of international brands in the beauty, fine fragrance, home and personal care, spirits, and luxury sectors. We offer a wide range of branding and communication expertise: brand creation, innovation, and renovation; strategy, visual, and brand identity; product and packaging design; retail environments; integrated campaigns; photography; and video production. Part of the Lonsdale group, forceMAJEURE is also present in Paris and Singapore.

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