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In an industry where agency-client relationships often only last a few years, what Maker’s Mark and Louisville agency Doe-Anderson have forged is exceeding rare.
They’ve partnered for more than five decades, with a relationship built on respect, collaboration and a deep understanding of what the brand means to its consumers.
The brand has gone from a handful of cases being dropped off at Keeneland racetrack 70 years ago to over 3 million cases in 2024, and Doe-Anderson has been there for the last 52 of those years, helping tell the story of how Maker’s Mark came to be and where it is going.
“We’ve been able to maintain our founders’ vision of thoughtful innovation and thoughtful communication, and personalizing our experience with our consumer even as one of the largest spirits brands in the world,” KK Hall, global head of marketing at Maker’s Mark, told ADWEEK.
A different kind of bourbon
The Samuels family has been making whiskey—which, according to them, wasn’t very good—in the U.S. since the 1700s, first in Pennsylvania and then in Kentucky after the famed 18th-century whiskey Rebellion.
Bill Samuels, Sr. changed the course of the brand, deciding to make a better whisky (spelled as the Scots do) in 1953, a premium bourbon, which then didn’t exist. His new flavor vision brought out the natural sweetness, mellowed the alcohol harshness and refined the flavor profile to be sipped and enjoyed. It was a radical change in the industry, but one he felt was needed for consumers.
Margie Samuels, Bill’s wife, also had a vision, creating the packaging that would accent the handmade bourbon. She oversaw the bottle’s signature shape, the label’s look, its letterpress printing, its hand-torn beauty, the signature hand-dipped red wax, and even the Maker’s Mark name. She even saw that bourbon could be a tourism industry.
“When my grandparents broke from tradition and wanted to reimagine what bourbon could be…they were always really adamant that, at least in the early years, they wanted to be thoughtful about how the brand was presented,” Rob Samuels, the managing director at Maker’s Mark and the eighth generation of Samuels whisky maker, told ADWEEK.
The new product wasn’t an overnight sensation, however. The company didn’t make a profit for nearly 25 years, taking the time to get it recognized locally by those who would appreciate it, including chefs and bartenders. It wasn’t until the brand was truly ready to launch beyond local that it sought outside marketing help.
Partnering to build a brand
The vision of the Samuels family merged with Doe-Anderson 52 years ago. Bill Samuels, Sr. wanted to work with the legacy agency, which opened in 1915.
