S01E03: Building a brand on a startup budget & understanding 'fit' - Sherwin Acebuche & Tim Driver from Tarsier Spirits Signet Unpackaged

Sherwin and Tim, Co-Founders of Tarsier Spirits, discuss
their journey of starting a craft gin brand that focuses on authentic Southeast Asian flavours and its representation of Filipino heritage – hence the name ‘Tarsier’, a small primate native to the region.

In this episode, we explore strategic distinctiveness, building a brand on a startup budget, and overcoming the challenges in the industry of finding the right partnerships and collaborations that fit your brand values.

Overall, their journey emphasises the value of trusting your instincts, being ok with continuous improvement and iterative design, and the absolute criticality of authenticity in creating a unique and successful brand.



01:25  Filling the Gap in the Gin Market

03:11  The Importance of the Tarsier Emblem

04:19  Giving Back to Conservation

06:37  The Process of Starting a Business

10:58  Learning about Gin Distillation

12:26  Building the Brand on a Startup Budget

14:39  The Importance of Authenticity

20:56  Selecting the Right Distributors

27:10  Differentiating Tarsier from Competitors

28:30  The Evolution of Tarsier's Branding and Packaging

32:23  Considerations for Packaging Design

36:22  Lessons Learned from Packaging Iterations

42:25  Sustainability in Packaging





Want to learn more about Tarsier Spirits?

Follow Sherwin and Tim on LinkedIn

Tarsier Spirits website⁠⁠



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For those of you who don't know us yet, we deliver 'perfect fit' bespoke embellishments and labels, exclusively for ambitious brands in the spirits and wine industry.



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