07/16/2026
A 160-year-old family-owned Japanese brand. A spirit most Americans have never tasted. Here's how we launched it. π₯
Nikaido makes shochu: wildly popular in Japan, almost unknown here, and constantly mistaken for Korean soju. They came to us to crack the U.S. market. Instead of selling the bottle and educating consumers about a new category, we flipped it. We built a cocktail.
The brief for Nikaido's brand bartender: keep it simple. Easy to make at home, easy for any bartender to nail.
Low ABV. Bright, refreshing flavor. A day drink built for brunch, and a fresh alternative to the Aperol Spritz and the mimosa.
Meet the TokyoSlide.
A full year of modular creative behind it for launch (paid media, digital, social): product, shot at , lifestyle across one day in LA and two in Palm Springs, A-unit shooting brand & digital content, a dedicated second-unit capturing social content, and stills being shot in tandem.
Check out our brand launch film and see how it all came together at TokyoSlide.com (link in profile).
What's your go-to brunch cocktail? π
Special thanks to the entire team, including: Reform Studio Byron Werner Mark Howlett, Rich Schaefer Mitchell Pictures, Emblem Public Relations