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Humanising a Legacy: Supporting Mount Gay to Align Its Brand from the Inside Out
- Alex Weetch
- May 15
- 3 min read
Updated: Sep 16
How We Helped Thibault Robert and His Team Bring 300+ Years of Mount Gay Rum’s Story to Life
Why This Project Mattered
At Dakota Ross, I’ve always believed that brands thrive when they’re humanised - when people inside the company have a genuine relationship with the brand, one they can believe in, feel motivated by, and clearly understand. This clarity helps them see who the brand represents and how they, as individuals, can contribute meaningfully to its bigger vision.
This belief led us to one of the most transformative projects we’ve ever taken on: helping Mount Gay, the world’s oldest rum brand, bring more than three centuries of history to life and align their story from the inside out.
The Opportunity
Mount Gay is the oldest continuously running rum distillery in the world. It’s a cultural symbol - rooted in Barbados, in identity, in craft.
When Thibault Robert, Global Brand Director, first spoke to me about the Historical Timeline project, it was clear this wasn’t a simple storytelling exercise. He wanted us to go as deep as possible into the brand’s authentic history, uncovering a narrative that could guide not only campaigns but the very foundations of the business.
The brief was about rich culture and heritage - it was about creating a unified, living story that could inspire employees as much as it could resonate with audiences around the world.
Our Approach To Brand Alignment
We began the way we always do: by starting inside the brand. Together with Thibault and his team, we worked to clarify Mount Gay’s values, voice, and vision - helping them reconnect with the essence of their brand and align around it as leaders.
Our framework was built around belief, behaviour, and belonging. For Mount Gay, this meant exploring its legacy rigorously and sensitively - not to only look back with nostalgia, but to set a purposeful direction for the future.
Key Highlights included:
Archival Deep Dives - Researching the Barbados National Archives, UK National Archives, and the Library of Congress for records reaching back to the 1600s.
Transcription & Decoding - Translating centuries-old handwritten deeds and distilling logs with the support of legal historians.
Expert Collaboration - Working with the Barbados Museum & Historical Society and independent historians to validate findings.
Oral Histories - Interviewing retired employees, distillers, and elders in the community to capture lived stories.
Lineage Mapping - Tracing the Alleyne and Ward families, tying their personal histories to Mount Gay’s evolution.
Artefact Discovery - Cataloguing bottling equipment, handwritten blending notes, and other historic materials.
We approached this as partners, working side by side with the Mount Gay team to weave fragmented history into a living brand identity. Just as importantly, we built the process to bring Thibault’s team along, ensuring genuine connection and ownership of the story.
Strategic Outcomes
The transformation was not only in how Mount Gay presented itself, but in how the brand was lived by its people. With a clear persona and a deeply rooted story, the team gained clarity, confidence, and alignment across every touchpoint.
This work led to:
A fully verified timeline of Mount Gay’s history (1654 to today)
The foundation for the Mount Gay Distillery Experience
Messaging used across global campaigns, ambassador training, PR, and storytelling
Cultural insights guiding product innovation and limited editions
A stronger sense of shared identity within the internal team
As Thibault reflected:
“Working with Dakota Ross over four years was a truly enriching experience. The team brought a unique blend of strategic vision, creative flair, and cultural sensitivity that elevated every project we tackled together. A true partner in every sense.”
A Living Brand
For me, this project was never only about telling a great story. It was about humanising Mount Gay - creating alignment between its people, its product, and its purpose.
That’s what drives everything we do at Dakota Ross: helping brands move from performance to meaning, from surface to soul.
As I often say:
“This project brought to life the nostalgia and sentiment behind the brand and grounded this emotional core within a modern global brand - creating something enduring, something real enough to carry it for the next 300 years.”
It was an honour to support Thibault and the extended Mount Gay team - and a privilege to contribute to a brand that continues to embody heritage, creativity, and the spirit of Barbados.