818 Tequila has given its ingredient list a starring role.
The brand launched "Nothing Extra," which it calls its largest campaign to date, with founder Kendall Jenner starring in a new film and set of images.
The agency nice&frank created the work, OBB Bolded produced it, and Max Bartick directed.
The effort was shot at Flamingo Estate in Los Angeles on a Garden of Eden-inspired set.
"With this campaign, we wanted to do something unexpected that would make people look twice," Jenner said.
Meanwhile, Chief Marketing Officer Kathleen Braine said the setting follows the same logic as the product.
"The tequila is practically naked; all we added was the bottle. The world we set the spot in also mirrors the liquid: stripped down to what matters," Braine explained.
The launch follows a strong stretch for the brand.
NielsenIQ data cited by 818 shows U.S. volume sales up 77% year over year in the four weeks ending Oct. 3, 2026, compared with 6% growth for tequila priced at $24 and above.
Sazerac invested in 818 in April and is now its exclusive U.S. distributor, which 818 says is helping widen retail access.
Lab Reports Back the Recipe
The film strings together playful misdirects that point viewers toward one kind of reveal.
The payoff is the bottle, which the brand describes as made with only 100% Agave Azul, water, and yeast.
818 says nothing is added to change the taste, aroma, color, or body of the liquid, including sweeteners, flavors, coloring, or artificial ingredients.
Viewers who want proof can visit drink818.com/nothingextra, where the brand posts third-party lab reports.
There, they can find ingredient information, details on how the tequila is made, and behind-the-scenes content.
818 says it has refined its liquid and production process since its 2021 founding, aiming to keep agave character in the glass with a smooth finish.
The campaign runs across social media, YouTube, connected TV, out-of-home advertising, targeted shopper media, and delivery and commerce platforms.
With the founder on screen, nice&frank’s misdirects carrying the idea, and lab reports one click away, the campaign gives shoppers a face, a story, and evidence.
All of which is a fuller package than celebrity ambassadors typically provide.
17% Ultra-Premium Share and a 77% Volume Gain
Ultra-premium tequila now accounts for 17% of U.S. tequila volume, up from 6% in 2019, according to IWSR data.
Mexico’s Tequila Regulatory Council has also disputed brands’ use of the English phrase "additive-free" since 2024, according to Vinetur.
These shifts point to three considerations for brands that hire agencies to explain a product claim.
Give the Agency One Fact
Brands should brief creative partners on one idea they can prove. The 818 film carries three ingredients from its first frame to its last.
Clear Claim Wording Early
Marketing teams should review ingredient language with regulatory advisers before production begins.
818’s release lists what the tequila contains and links lab reports without using the disputed phrase.
Book Shopper Media With the Film
Brands should place claims where buyers are close to making a purchase.
818 runs shopper media and delivery placements next to its YouTube and CTV buys, and its Sazerac partnership gives those ads a distribution network to send buyers toward.
In 818’s plan, the founder carries the face, the agency carries the idea, and the lab reports carry the proof.
Our Take: Can a Founder’s Face Carry a Product Claim?
Celebrity-owned spirits often give the founder one job, and that's to hold the bottle and be recognized.
Nice&frank gave Jenner a different job.
She sets up the premise, and the bottle's simplicity sells it.
We think this puts 818 in a smaller group of celebrity brands whose ads are purely about the product.
Kendall Jenner for 818 Tequila’s new “Nothing Extra” campaign. The campaign marks the brand’s biggest advertising launch to date, highlighting transparency in its production process and introducing a less sweet tequila with a more pronounced agave flavor. 📸 More pics: https://t.co/XcZqn1E7zs
— Kendall’s Gallery (@kendallsjbrs) November 9, 2026
A star who is willing to be the setup is a more flexible asset than a star who must carry every frame.
If it were up to us, we would keep Jenner in that supporting seat for the next flight and let the agency write the true-to-brand storylines.
Brands pursuing ambitious creative need partners who are all in on their ideas.
Take a look at these top creative agencies in our directory.
