From the Nominator

The Colorado State University Alumni Association partnered with Ironton Distillery & Crafthouse to create CAM’s 1870, the first official CSU whiskey. Launched in conjunction with the homecoming football game and family weekend in October 2024, this initiative targeted CSU alumni, students, and the broader community. The goal was to develop a distinctive product that celebrated CSU’s traditions, fostered alumni engagement, and raised funds for the alumni association. Despite a tight three-week timeline and several stakeholders, the project team collaborated to create a custom whiskey bottle design. The process included brainstorming ideas, crafting unique illustrations, and incorporating CSU’s traditions with Ironton’s new branding into the label design. The label, named CAM’s 1870, drew inspiration from both CSU’s founding year and the whiskey’s 87-proof strength. As of November 2024, CAM’s 1870 was available in more than 80 locations throughout Colorado, selling 1,400 bottles and raising funds for the alumni association. This project not only celebrated CSU’s rich traditions but also promoted community engagement, with alumni enjoying the whiskey at various events and creating significant sales momentum.

From the Judges

Impressive that there were no costs. Looks like something you would naturally buy at a liquor store. The ram design and classic style are nice. Label choice and name makes sense for multiple reasons. Great timing to launch at a homecoming game. Good collaboration across the school. They worked very quickly and did a great job blending the two brands on the whiskey bottle. Great use of resources and good return on investment. Widespread distribution is impressive from a reach and marketing perspective. Nice to see the distillery covered production costs, too, to make this a viable area for other schools to explore. Nice to see that they researched this product heavily and the behind the scenes of their process, too.