The move
We never sold gin. We sold the migration. The brand was born in Big Sur, where Jan and Marsh saw a gray whale breach and decided the legacy they wanted to leave their kids would be a give-back brand: every botanical sourced along the whale’s migration route up the California coast, 1% for the Planet, Oceana. So the migration became the creative spine. Campaigns, experiential builds, merchandise, and a cocktail book all live inside one coastal world.
“Joe understood from the beginning that Gray Whale was never just a gin. It was the world we saw in Big Sur, and for six years he has built that world into everything we make: every campaign, every bottle, every stage we put it on.”
Jan & Marsh Mokhtari, Founders — Gray Whale Gin
The result
20x case growth over six years: 2,000 cases to 40,000, a top-5 super-premium gin in America. Multi-year partnership as the Official Gin of the Boston Red Sox, with a Fenway Park presence. 2024 TAG Global Spirits Awards Best in Show. Gold at the 2024 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Audience grew 3.3x. The brand has appeared in 78 press features, including Forbes, Food & Wine, Men’s Health, Gear Patrol, and Condé Nast Traveler.
“For six years The ii Agency touched almost every aspect of our brand. From experiential to social to packaging and design, they crafted an immersive world that brought Gray Whale to life.”
Lauren Borstein, Director — Gray Whale Gin
Next project
Next: BLDWN →