Brand Advocate Program

Since 2015 The Cocktail Guru Team has championed beverage brands of all sizes with our Brand Advocate Program.

We utilize a thoughtful, 360º approach to spirits marketing and sales that incorporates dynamic ambassadors, strong distributor partnerships, and unique experiences to bring great brands to life.

We recruit top U.S. bartenders and industry professionals and train them with expertise and best practices culled from our combined 50 years of industry expertise. Our Brand Advocates are category experts who share the stories of the spirits they represent with passion and sales savvy.

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What Our Clients Say

We’ve seen an impressive increase in cocktail menu placements, in extremely competitive markets like New York and Los Angeles -- all carried out by ambassadors who embody our brand and introduce our products into the market in a subtle yet effective manner.
Jason Monkarsh, Co-Founder, OrganicMixology.com

[The Cocktail Guru] team of beverage professionals has allowed us to efficiently execute our brand advocacy strategy in key markets coast-to-coast.
Montia Garcia, Marketing Manager, The Perfect Purée of Napa Valley, LLC

It can be challenging for a craft distillery to locate, hire and manage talent across multiple states, and the Cocktail Guru program took the legwork out of finding part-time brand advocates.
Mimi Buttenheim, President, Mad River Distillers Warren, VT

About Our Brand Advocate Program

We have capabilities in every U.S. market. The Cocktail Guru Brand Advocates are currently active in:

Boston, MA
New York, NY
Philadelphia, PA

Atlanta, GA
Dallas, TX
Denver, CO

San Francisco, CA
Toronto, ON

Brand Advocate Program services include:

A customized plan tailored to the unique needs of your brand in a given market
We recruit, hire and train brand advocates to ensure they are ready hit the ground running
We handle all aspects of reporting, payroll & expenses, provide daily support, continuous training, develop account strategy, distributor and account relations.
We conduct ongoing evaluations to make sure the program is working and delivering ROI

Brand Advocate Management Team

Jonathan Pogash

Founder, President
Jonathan has over 20 years experience in the hospitality industry and is also the editor of the iconic bartending book, “Mr Boston Bartender’s Guide 75th Anniversary Edition.”

Kirsten “Kitty” Amann

Brand Advocate Account Manager
As a wine & spirits consultant, Amann has over 15 years of experience in the beverage industry as a brand ambassador, publicist, bartender, writer, and cocktail book author.

Elayne Duff

Director of Advocacy and Training
Elayne Duff is an accomplished professional with more than 17 years within the beverage and alcohol industry. She has a solid track record of developing and implementing successful programs to drive brand growth, advocacy and customer/trade loyalty for brands such as Cîroc Vodka, Tanqueray Ten, Bulleit Bourbon & Don Julio Tequila.

Liz Smith

Brand Advocate Liaison
After graduating from Johnson & Wales University and working at Gracie’s in Providence, Rhode Island she found her favorite place was being behind the bar. There, she could combine her love of wine and liquors with her creative spirit. Now residing in Portland, Maine, she manages the bar at recently opened Lio Restaurant.

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