Client: Diageo

Aviation Gin tells the story of creating a new gin segment: American Gin. Before Aviation, London Dry was the dominant gin style, but its strong juniper-forward flavor was polarizing and limited gin’s appeal—holding sales to under 4% of the U.S. spirits market. The category needed a more approachable (less English aristocracy), easier-to-drink (less juniper) gin.

Sandstrom Partners helped solve this by designing Aviation American Gin—a smoother, more balanced spirit—that sparked the creation of the American Gin segment itself. Originally crafted by House Spirits, a small independent distillery, Aviation Gin’s brand design played a major role in its eventual acquisition by global giant Diageo and attracted high-profile interest, including from Ryan Reynolds, one of the original celebrity spirits brand owners.