Calling the next big Texas seltzer
project overview
Shotgun Seltzer entered the market just as the hard seltzer category was exploding. Bigger brands were spending heavily on retail promotions, TV, demos, and trial, but Shotgun needed a smarter path to growth without taking the same financial hit.
Challenge
How do you break into a crowded category without outspending it?
With White Claw, Truly, and other major players dominating shelves and pouring money into awareness, Shotgun needed a way to build demand differently. The goal was not to buy attention. It was to earn it through a more local, more ownable, and more disciplined growth strategy.
solution
We built the brand where Texans were already drinking
Ampersand recommended a PR and experiential strategy that started with on-premise events across Central Texas. By tapping into river days, lake weekends, patios, bars, and restaurants, Shotgun could show up naturally in the moments where a crisp, easy-drinking seltzer made sense.
The brand launched with a flavor that felt unmistakably Texan: Ranch Water. From there, we built a lifestyle-driven social presence, created swag and merchandise, and developed the packaging system for the brand’s eventual retail launch in H-E-B stores across the state. By waiting a full year before entering grocery, Shotgun arrived on shelves with momentum already behind it.
results
A slow-burn strategy that took off fast
Shotgun’s sales velocity grew quickly, supported by the brand foundation built the year before. As new flavors were added, Ampersand created a multi-pack design system and tied each flavor to a Texas tall tale, highlighting the all-natural distillation process and native Texas ingredients.
Soon, more grocers and C-stores were asking for the product, and distribution grew faster than expected. Two years into the project, Shotgun’s trajectory attracted interest from a beer company looking to expand its product line, and the brand was purchased a few months later.
