Brown-Forman Taps Independent Agency LERMA/ to Accelerate Super-Premium Growth for Diplomático Rum in the U.S.

Independent creative agency LERMA/ has been appointed agency of record for Diplomático Rum in the United States, marking a strategic step in the brand’s effort to expand the super-premium rum category and strengthen its cultural relevance among U.S. consumers—particularly within the Hispanic community.

Under the partnership, LERMA/ will lead strategy, creative development and organic social management, with an initial focus on building awareness of the Venezuelan rum brand while accelerating growth in key markets such as Florida, especially South Florida, where Hispanic culture plays a defining role in food and beverage trends.

The collaboration reflects a broader ambition from Diplomático’s parent company, Brown-Forman, to elevate rum in the United States in the same way other premium spirits categories—most notably tequila—have evolved over the past decade.

A Strategic Moment for the Brand
Diplomático became part of the Brown-Forman portfolio approximately three years ago, and the company has since been refining its strategy for the U.S. market.

“We have recently made a very intentional choice to be much more focused on the U.S. Hispanic consumer and specifically to make a much bigger push in Florida, particularly South Florida,” said Camille Zahniser, VP and Group Brand Director of Emerging Brands (U.S. & Canada) at Brown-Forman.

As the company began searching for an agency partner, it prioritized a team capable of understanding both the spirits category and the cultural dynamics shaping the target audience.

“We wanted an agency that deeply understands the U.S. Hispanic consumer, understands the Miami marketplace, understands spirits, and could really help accelerate our connection into culturally relevant moments,” Zahniser explained.

LERMA/ emerged as the right fit thanks to its experience in culturally fluent strategy and its previous work with Brown-Forman’s New Mix brand.

Expanding the Super-Premium Rum Conversation
While Diplomático enjoys strong international recognition for its craftsmanship and premium positioning, the U.S. market still represents a largely untapped opportunity.

According to Zahniser, the super-premium rum category remains relatively underdeveloped compared with regions such as Europe.

“If I look at the country broadly, super-premium rum is still very small and underdeveloped, especially versus Europe where it’s pretty well developed,” she said. However, consumer resistance is not the primary challenge.

“Interestingly, there aren’t a lot of what we call ‘rum rejecters’ in the U.S. There are many people who would be open to rum—they just don’t think about it.” For the brand, the key lies in encouraging trial.

“The great news is that when people try Diplomático for the first time, it’s a huge mind-opening experience and almost serves as a gateway to discovering other super-premium rum,” Zahniser said. “Once people try it, they love it.”

To achieve that, the company plans to emphasize experiential activations and culturally relevant storytelling designed to bring more consumers into the category.

A Tequila-Like Transformation for Rum
For Pedro Lerma, founder and CEO of LERMA/, the current moment presents a rare opportunity to reshape how consumers perceive rum.He points to the transformation of tequila in the U.S. as a model for what could happen with super-premium rum.

“What we saw with tequila was that before it was mostly about shots and margaritas,” Lerma said. “Today, you have lots of consumers in the U.S. who enjoy super-premium tequila neat or on the rocks. It’s a completely different occasion and perception.”

Diplomático, he believes, has the potential to follow that same trajectory.

“We’re not even going to be competing with other rums because those are typically mixed,” he explained. “We’re inviting people into a new category: super-premium rum.”

In that sense, the competition may come less from rum brands and more from other premium spirits consumed slowly and appreciated for their craftsmanship.

Leveraging Hispanic Cultural Influence
Central to the strategy is the role Hispanic consumers play in shaping mainstream culture in the United States. “Hispanic culture is really driving overall culture in the U.S. today,” Lerma said. “From a cultural influence standpoint, the timing couldn’t be better.”

For LERMA/, the approach will focus on empowering communities that already have familiarity with the product.

“We’re going to leverage the U.S. Hispanic consumer who has knowledge—and hopefully love—of Diplomático in a way that gives them cultural currency,” Lerma said.

Influencers and creators who already have an authentic connection with the brand will play a key role in amplifying that message. “They will be our greatest ambassadors,” he added.

Celebrating Venezuelan Heritage
Another shift in strategy will involve highlighting the brand’s Venezuelan origins more prominently. According to Zahniser, this heritage has always been part of the brand’s identity but has not always been emphasized in marketing.

“We’re really leaning into our Venezuelan heritage,” she said. “It’s not something we’ve talked about overtly in the past, but the spirit of Venezuela is so synonymous with the brand. It’s core to our DNA.”

The company hopes that celebrating that heritage will inject new energy into the brand while strengthening its authenticity.

Measuring Success in the Years Ahead
Long term, Brown-Forman’s ambition for Diplomático is clear. “Our business goal is to be the global leader in super-premium rum,” Zahniser said. “When people think of super-premium rum, we want them to think of Diplomático.”

In the near term, however, the focus is on embedding the brand more deeply into culture. “We want Diplomático to feel like a brand that’s truly embedded in culture,” she said. “We’re starting with Florida, but we expect that to expand to other Hispanic hubs across the country.”

For LERMA/, success means exceeding expectations while introducing the rum to new audiences. “As an agency, we’ve always been ambitious,” Lerma said. “We’re thrilled to partner with a brand, product and company that shares that ambition.”

With a premium product, strong cultural momentum and a largely open category, he sees enormous potential ahead.

“You have an outstanding product, cultural momentum and a lot of white space,” Lerma said. “You can’t get a better opportunity than that.”