Creative Director for a Hospitality Group's Spirits Launch
Turned three custom spirits into a branded storytelling engine for A. Marshall Hospitality's dining destinations.
The Client
- Company
- Gate 11 Distillery
- Website
- gate11distillery.com
- Headquarters
- Chattanooga, US
- Employees
- 1-10
About Gate 11 Distillery
Gate 11 Distillery is a craft spirits producer and experiential venue located in Chattanooga's historic Choo-Choo terminal. They produce a diverse portfolio of small-batch spirits including whiskey, gin, vodka, rum, absinthe, and agave spirits, while operating an on-site bar and distillery tour operation.
The Challenge
As one of Tennessee's leading restaurant groups, A. Marshall Hospitality had built a portfolio of beloved dining destinations rooted in Southern hospitality, food, music, and community. The opportunity was to create a collection of proprietary spirits that felt authentic to the guest experience while strengthening the connection between the restaurant brands and Tennessee's rich cultural heritage. The challenge was to develop products that could stand on their own while remaining deeply connected to the stories, atmosphere, and sense of place that define the hospitality group.
Our Approach
Through my role as Partner at Chameleon Collective and Director of Brand Strategy and Creative Director for Gate Eleven Distillery, I collaborated with A. Marshall Hospitality to develop a portfolio of custom spirits inspired by Tennessee's musical legacy. Rather than creating a single branded product, we built a family of spirits including Back Stage Gin, New South Vodka, and In the Round Rum each drawing inspiration from iconic moments and traditions within the music industry.
The engagement included brand strategy, naming, identity development, packaging design, messaging, and launch materials. The visual system blended vintage concert poster aesthetics, music-inspired iconography, and Southern storytelling to create a cohesive portfolio that felt both familiar and distinctive. Each expression was designed to reinforce the guest experience while creating memorable products that could live beyond the restaurant table.
The Impact
The resulting spirits portfolio transformed a private-label initiative into a branded extension of the A. Marshall Hospitality experience. By connecting food, music, and spirits through a shared narrative, the program created new opportunities for guest engagement, differentiated beverage offerings, and brand storytelling. The work demonstrated how thoughtfully developed products can extend hospitality beyond the dining room, creating lasting connections between a guest's experience and the brands they love.
Featured Expert
The Chameleon who led this engagement.
