Ask any millennial or Gen Z woman, myself included, where she found that meme, heard that joke, or got that news, and chances are she’ll say Betches.
With a community of 48 million people, Betches is both an entertainment company and a bona fide news source, with a wide variety of content covering commentary on everything from pop culture to politics, as well as hosting articles, podcasts, social media, newsletters – and now, best of all, offering a delicious and drinkable product.
Enter: Faux Pas, a canned cocktail co-created and co-branded by the edgy and witty, female-led media brand in partnership with Spirit of Gallo, the spirits division of esteemed global wine leader E. & J. Gallo.
Betches may not have predicted this development in its “Blame it on Retrograde” newsletter, but the stars aligned perfectly for the birth of Faux Pas, as both Gallo and Betches were each independently looking for something new and exciting in the canned- cocktail rich. And when the two companies connected, it was a match made in happy-hour heaven.
Made with real tequila and vodka and sounding at a pregame-perfect 8 percent, Faux Pas comes in four flavors, classics with a “betchy” twist, that are just as fun and refreshing as the unfiltered feminist perspective of Betches: Grapefruit & Orange. Tequila Soda, Lemon & Mint Vodka Soda, Bartlett Pear Vodka Mule and Spicy Mango Margarita. Like the content of Betches – real, humorous and unfiltered – the cocktails are completely devoid of artificial flavors and are also gluten-free. And because it’s not just about content, it’s about style, each can is also a content delivery system, with a witty description in the brand’s signature voice. For example, Faux Pas is “Best served cold (like a ‘K’ text)” and “Tastes just as good as blocking your ex’s feelings.”
On the forefront of all the cool stuff, with an unashamed appreciation for a bit of a crafty lifestyle (one branch of the brand is actually called When’s Happy Hour? and merch with a wine glass that reads “‘WORK FROM HOME'”), it wasn’t the question of whether Betches would enter this world, but when. Of the brand’s audience, 90 percent are between the ages of 21 and 44, and 97 percent of the Betches consumers surveyed are alcohol drinkers. So it makes perfect sense that business-savvy Betches’ first foray into this industry would be in the ready-to-drink category, which has reportedly experienced incredible growth and is expected to outnumber spirits and wine (combined) by 2024. !) .
In addition to an audience largely made up of millennial women, Betches was founded by them, and as part of this demographic itself, I imagine the founders and I have fairly similar drinking histories and tastes that have evolved (and certainly matured) the same way. have become). Over the past decade, we’ve enjoyed sweet, muddy, and hashtag-heavy moments. We’ve spent lazy summer evenings on hip patios, surrounded by other women wearing summer dresses and drinking spritzes. And we survived the summer of 2020 thanks to to-go cocktails in plastic bags bought to support our favorite local bars.
All these drinks made sense at the moment — and they were certainly enjoyed back then — but in 2022, I imagine the women behind Betches were looking for something new. They wanted to sip a little better and spend a little smarter. And with the help of Spirit of Gallo, they created Faux Pas as the quite literal solution.
Imagine a flavor that’s fun but not fake, in chic packaging without being boring, a drink that’s refreshing, affordable, portable and versatile. Ideally, the product can be lazily lapped up on the beach, taken to a family barbecue, or sipped on the couch while watching the latest episode of “The Bachelor.” As a 33-year-old female, those are my cocktail criteria, and I’m excited to share that Faux Pas checks all my booze boxes, and it seems to be exactly what Betches is aiming for.
“We are excited to introduce Faux Pas to our audience because we created it just for them,” Jordana Abraham, Betches Chief Innovation Officer, said in a statement. †[We] take great pride in creating an alcoholic drink that we think will appeal to women like no other drink on the market.”
To bring this vision to life, Gallo proved to be the perfect partner. The largest family-owned winery in the United States has been delivering delicious sips, new collaborations, and exciting endeavors for nearly 90 years. Plus, as the makers of High Noon Hard Seltzer, Gallo clearly has great taste. Spirit of Gallo prides itself on innovation and partnerships – both of which are perfectly illustrated with the launch of Faux Pas. Betches and Spirit of Gallo collaborated through all elements of Faux Pas development, from cocktail selection to packaging design, with each company shining with its own strengths, perspectives and opinions. “Betches have an incredibly deep understanding of their fanbase and followers,” said Spirit of Gallo senior director Kim Roberts. “They embody and know the Betches community. Gallo brings our in-depth knowledge of the spirits industry en route to market, as well as our skills in product development and manufacturing.”
Now back to the Betches. The brand was founded in 2011, and Abraham, along with lifelong friends and co-founders Aleen Dreksler and Samantha Sage, still run the company together, and according to the latter, it’s this kind of relationship that they celebrate with Faux Pas. It’s a drink built around a bond and a way of life that revolves around friends, fun and – as the name and flavors indicate – not taking life or yourself too seriously.
“We’re especially proud to have created a drink that celebrates female friendships based on authenticity and laughs together at our faux pas,” Abraham said.
I’ve been following Betches in its various forms for years, and just as I’ve shared hundreds of his memes on Instagram, I’m looking forward to sharing some real-life Faux Pas Spicy Mango Margaritas with my friends.
And maybe some Bartlett Pear Vodka Mules too. After all, we celebrate.
This article is sponsored by Faux Pas.
