Client Case Studies

LSZ Communications began its relationship with ZYR by selecting the prestigious vodka brand—crafted from winter wheat and rye and awarded for its smooth, creamy texture with a hint of sweetness—as a partner for famed caviar house Petrossian.

The collaboration launched at OKEANOS, a premier upscale men’s lifestyle destination in New York City and a favorite gathering spot of the New York Rangers. The partnership generated significant visibility, earning coverage from Brandweek for its innovative marketing approach.

ZYR’s owner, David Katz, took notice of the momentum. With the goal of driving even greater exposure in New York and South Florida, he brought LSZ Communications on board as the brand’s official public relations and marketing communications partner.

The mandate was clear: increase awareness and boost sales for this ultra-smooth vodka through strategic, high-impact storytelling and media engagement.

ZYR was considered to be "the next Grey Goose." With its ice blue bottle and award-winning taste, the vodka brand earned high acclaim with business TV interviewing the founder/owner on CNBC, CNN and NBC. The buzz brought along a following in the music community with American Rapper FloRida showcasing ZYR in a sizzling, sexy music video. Rap music's "bible" THE SOURCE as well as COMPLEX and BLACK ENTERPRISE took note and highlighted the brand with in-depth coverage.

Being able to leverage the OKEANOS relationship by bringing editors to this luxe destination earned coverage in New York-based top tier media including Men's Journal, GQ and Cigar Aficionado. The founder relocated to South Florida which enabled coverage in Aventura Magazine and the Miami Herald. As the brand opened markets in FLorida, press coverage followed. A front page story heralding the brand's arrival ran in The Tampa Tribune, the result: $16,000 in retail sales on opening day in the market.

LSZ enhanced the experiential component by securing high profile pours for the brand, notably for Spike Lee at the Brooklyn launch of his ad agency. Valuable media and other opinion leaders were invited to the brand's vodka maker dinners in Miami, South Beach and Atlantic City, NJ.

• ZYR increased market share by an estimated 30% due to the momentum built by the LSZ COMMUNICATIONS marketing communications and public relations program with record sales in some markets (i.e Tampa, Florida)

• LSZ COMMUNICATIONS found new audiences for the brand - the influential rap music community, New York sports stars (the NY Rangers), and South Florida sophisticates - spurring buzz and brand adoption

• Experiential elements brought this prestigious vodka brand to life engaging top tier media with indulgent lifestyle experiences definitively setting it apart from other upscale vodkas

• Business television interviews with ZYR's founder reached more than three million viewers encouraging retailers to buy into the brand and establishing it as the next big thing.

• Affluent lifestyle-driven consumers intrigued by the media coverage both local and national requested the brand in restaurants and bars as it launched in key markets including Philadelphia, Baltimore and Tampa, distribution expanded in these cities as well as NY and Miami.