Quaker City Mercantile

Quaker City Mercantile is an independent advertising agency and distiller specializing in strategy, marketing, design, and branding for the alcohol industry.[1] It was founded in 1989 by Steven Grasse in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Over the course of its history, Quaker City Mercantile has partnered with brands such as Guinness,[2] Miller,[3] Narragansett Brewing Company,[4] M&M/Mars, R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, Sailor Jerry and Puma.[5]

Quaker City Mercantile
FormerlyGyro Worldwide
IndustryAlcohol industry, marketing strategy
Founded1989
FounderSteven Grasse
HeadquartersPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania
Services
  • Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction
  • Quaker City Shrubs
  • Lo-Fi Aperitifs

History

Gyro Worldwide was founded in Society Hill, Philadelphia in 1989 by Steven Grasse. After developing a series of controversial advertisements featuring Charles Manson for a Philadelphia clothing store called Zipperhead, the company was dropped by several clients such as Comcast.[6] However, the controversy also helped to increase the company's publicity and led to partnerships with brands such as MTV.[7] The company became known for guerilla marketing and controversial advertising campaigns.[8]

The company moved its headquarters to Washington Square West, Philadelphia into a building owned by Tony Goldman, who was attempting to gentrify the neighborhood. Gyro Worldwide later collaborated with James McManahan to help rebrand the neighborhood, coining the term "Midtown Village" for the area.[9]

Gyro Worldwide was hired by the Scottish brand Hendrick's Gin in 1998.[10] That same year, the company began working with Don Ed Hardy and Mike Malone to create merchandise based on Sailor Jerry's life and work, and Gyro Worldwide acquired the intellectual rights to the brand from Hardy and Malone in 2003. Gyro Worldwide sold the brand to William Grant & Sons in 2008, while continuing to create merchandise and advertising for William Grant & Sons.[11]

As part of a self-promotional campaign in 2008, Gyro Worldwide released Virus: The Outrageous History of Gyro, which was purportedly written by a fictitious French scholar named Harriet Bernard-Levy and published by "Gold Crown Press".[12]

In 2009, Gyro Worldwide was rebranded as Quaker City Mercantile, and announced that it would be placing a new focus on creating its own products.[13] After rebranding, Quaker City Mercantile launched Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction, a brand of spirits.[14]

In 2016, Quaker City Mercantile began working with MillerCoors after the latter dropped Leo Burnett Worldwide as its advertising agency. Later that year, Quaker City Mercantile partnered with Diageo to produce a series of hard sodas under the Quaker City Malting Co. brand.[15]

Quaker City Mercantile has launched other alcohol brands of its own, such as Quaker City Shrubs[16] and Lo-Fi Aperitifs.[17]

References
  1. Mooney, Kate (2019-06-21). "Why beer companies are betting on retro-looking cans". Vox. Retrieved 2020-03-22.
  2. "Drinking From Home—Americans Are Stocking Up on Alcohol". www.adweek.com. Retrieved 2020-03-22.
  3. "Soaring Girl on the Moon swings in new brewhouse mural in the Miller Valley". OnMilwaukee.com. 2019-10-16. Retrieved 2020-03-22.
  4. Bary, Andrew. "How Passion Investors Helped Revive Narragansett Beer". www.barrons.com. Retrieved 2020-03-23.
  5. Van Allen, Peter (July 1, 2002). "Gyro spins to its own beat". www.bizjournals.com. Retrieved 2020-03-22.
  6. "Legends: The Mad Man's Next Act - Page 2 of 7". Philadelphia Magazine. 2010-01-29. Retrieved 2020-03-22.
  7. Steinhauer, Jennifer (1996-09-16). "A Youthful Ad Agency Pursues an Elusive Group With a Bit of Irreverence". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-03-25.
  8. Serazio, Michael (2013-04-05). Your Ad Here: The Cool Sell of Guerrilla Marketing. NYU Press. p. 82. ISBN 978-0-8147-2459-0.
  9. "How the Gayborhood Became Midtown Village | The Philly Post". Philadelphia Magazine. 2013-07-09. Retrieved 2020-03-22.
  10. "How Hendrick's Gin Immerses Consumers in Its Distinct World". BizBash. 2015-06-03. Retrieved 2020-03-22.
  11. "Sailor Jerry's Widow Files Suit Against William Grant". Neat Pour. Retrieved 2020-03-22.
  12. Ambrosi, A. D. "The mad man of Philly ad men". Inquirer. Retrieved 2020-03-22.
  13. "Goodbye Gyro Worldwide. . .Now Quaker City Mercantile". Philly Ad Club. 2009-06-12. Retrieved 2020-03-22.
  14. "Legends: The Mad Man's Next Act - Page 4 of 7". Philadelphia Magazine. 2010-01-29. Retrieved 2020-03-22.
  15. "Diageo launches US hard sodas in Quaker City Malting venture". www.just-drinks.com. 2016-10-11. Retrieved 2020-03-23.
  16. "Quaker City Mercantile and Diageo Launch Quaker City Shrubs". BevNET.com. 2018-06-22. Retrieved 2020-03-22.
  17. "Lo-Fi Aperitifs Expands to Southern California". BevNET.com. 2019-07-08. Retrieved 2020-03-22.
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