Mount Gay Rum - A World's First through eSailing

Mount Gay Rum - Reinventing Sailing Engagement Through Digital Innovation.

When the global COVID-19 pandemic brought physical sailing events to a standstill, Mount Gay Rum - a brand with deep roots in the sailing world - faced a challenge: how to maintain and grow its connection with the sailing community without the traditional regattas, races, and in-person hospitality experiences that had long defined its brand strategy.

Strategic Pivot - Rather than pause, Thibault Robert and the Dakota Ross team seized the opportunity to reset and reimagine its sailing strategy. Partnering with World Sailing and Virtual Regatta, the brand pivoted to a hybrid model that merged physical and digital sailing experiences, creating a modern, scalable engagement platform.

eSailing Partnerships - Mount Gay partnered with World Sailing to support the eSailing platform Virtual Regatta, gaining access to over 2 million active players during key races like the Vendée Globe. Custom-branded Mount Gay boats and in-game assets were introduced, along with co-branded digital regattas and rewards like bottles of rum and Red Caps for finalists.

Branded Digital Experiences
Developed and launched the Mount Gay Masterclass Series, offering 20 branded videos featuring commentary by SKY Sports' Alec Wilkinson and insights from pro sailors and eSailing champions.

Created “money-can’t-buy” experiences, including virtual mixology sessions, digital tastings, and virtual distillery tours.

America’s Cup & American Magic - Sponsored the American Magic Team at the 2021 America’s Cup.

Integrated branding in both physical and digital boats.

VIP activations at the New York Yacht Club and the America’s Cup event in New Zealand.

Global Market Engagement - Market teams in the US, Barbados, and the Caribbean activated private races, tastings, and digital regattas with key accounts and yacht clubs.

Barbados Sailing Association and other national sailing bodies received VIP access and co-branded race opportunities to deepen local and regional ties.

Impact
Brand Reach
300K active players engaged monthly.
2M+ players reached during the Vendée Globe.
Enhanced brand visibility through physical-digital integration at premier events.

Community Building - Reinforced Mount Gay’s legacy within the sailing world while opening new doors to digital-first audiences.

Strengthened relationships with national sailing associations, yacht clubs, and lifestyle partners.

Provided internal staff opportunities to engage with sailing and brand culture more deeply.

Mount Gay’s eSailing and America’s Cup strategy demonstrated how a heritage brand can remain culturally relevant and future-facing by embracing innovation. By integrating digital engagement into its long-standing sailing legacy, Mount Gay successfully expanded its reach, deepened relationships, and created meaningful, modern experiences that bridged sport, lifestyle, and storytelling.