This queer influencer and former head of social for a major media company is going all in on gay with a disruptive line of canned vodka sodas.
In a sea of non-alcoholic alternatives, aperitifs and (uninspired) canned cocktails – and the lack of LGBTQ+ representation in alcohol/disconnect between brands and the community – Spencer Hoddeson saw an opportunity to enter the $2.2 billion industry (projected to be $57+ billion by 2032) with Gay Water.
More than just a pretty can, Gay Water is truly shaking things up by putting the queer community first and destigmatizing the word gay with its boozy canned beverages. Made with real vodka, each can is only 80 calories, 0g sugar, and made with just 3 ingredients. Currently available in 4 flavors: peach, grapefruit, lime and watermelon.
Launched in July of this year, the brand has already seen amazing success: from being featured in news outlets like CNN, FoodBeast, MSN and The New York Post, to growing its TikTok community to 80k+ followers.
We sat down with Spencer to talk the inspiration for the brand, the highs and lows of navigating the CPG industry, how he manages being an entrepreneur while taking care of his health, goals for 2024 and advice for other founders. Crack open a can and dive in!
I was leading the Brand Marketing and Corporate Social team at Yahoo!
Where did the inspiration for the brand come from?
My brand identity was designed by the incomparable Ryan Sagawa, a queer, Japanese-Hawaiian designer. My references and inspirations that I shared with him are:
Vintage candy: I love the colorful designs and big block letters of candy brands like Razzles and Blow Pops.
Comic books: I was inspired by the dynamic shapes and bubbles of comic books
Pop art: Again, the bold colors and simplicity of pop art. Some of it overlaps with comic books
90s cartoons: there’s so many iconic shapes and colors from this era. The Nickelodeon splat, the Rugrats logo, slime, Olmec from Legends of the Hidden Temple – there’s too many to name.
Who in the industry do you turn to for inspiration? Any other brands in the industry that you admire?
We’ve gotten likened to Liquid Death a few times, which is an incredibly flattering comparison. I think what Liquid Death is doing is the future of the beverage space - creating a lifestyle brand that happens to have a canned water product.
Gen Z and beyond are smart consumers - they want to buy products that go beyond just tasting good - they want a brand that understands them, stands for what they stand for, and that they can have fun with.
What have been the challenges of navigating the CPG industry?
In bev-alc specifically, the hardest part has been navigating the compliance and three-tier (sometimes four-tier) system. When you stack state-by-state laws on top of the distributor system, and then add a side of navigating larger retailers and their processes, you get a supersized challenge.
What impact has the current economy had on the brand?
It’s too early in our infancy to say. However I will say, the boycotts of LGBTQ+ supporting businesses definitely has benefitted us from a media perspective and allowed for conversation to be created around Gay Water.
What were some of the highs/lows from 2023?
Our high was definitely the overwhelming response from media and consumers around our launch. We were trending on CNN.com the day we launched, something I never would have dreamed of.
Our low was production snafus that we had back in May pre-launch. While I was able to work through them and find a solution, that was easily the most stressful week of my life.
As a founder, what do you do to take care of your health - both physical and mental?
Physical: as much exercise as I can squeeze in. Even if it’s just morning stretches or stretching in the shower.
Mental: Sticking to one screen. If I’m on my computer working, I’m not on my phone. If I’m watching TV, I’m not on my phone. If I’m on my phone, I’m trying to not be on my phone 😀
TRY TRY TRY.
What advice do you have for early-stage entrepreneurs?
TRY TRY TRY. Gay Water was just a few designs when we posted to TikTok and all of a sudden we had a community of folks rallying us to create the product. There are so many free platforms, message groups, etc. that you can use for proof of concept. People are so willing to share their feedback, especially if it’s negative feedback!
What foods do you always have in your cupboards/fridge?
Pretzels, sunflower seeds and frozen spring rolls.
What are some other brands you think are killing it?
Fishwife - I think they’ve done an incredible job from brand identity to product to their marketing. They are standing out in the canned fish space.
Liquid Death - I mentioned above, but just a masterclass in building a lifestyle brand, not just a product.
Wendy’s - they just get social media.
What trends do you think are here to stay?
RTD cocktails - I’m a little biased here, but SPINS just released a report, and RTD cocktails are the only category that has grown significantly in the last year. It’s still new, so I expect to see more innovation - whether we’re leading it or not 🙂
Healthier updates to cultural products - this has been happening for a while, but brands like Omsom, I Love Chamoy, and others that are taking products from their founder’s heritage or culture, but adding a healthy-focus to them.
Canned everything - cans are more durable and 100% recyclable. Plastic has gotta go.
What are your goals for 2024?
Getting through the entire shared note movie list that my best friend and I have.
Want to try Gay Water for yourself? Order online here and follow ‘em on social.
In a sea of non-alcoholic alternatives, aperitifs and (uninspired) canned cocktails – and the lack of LGBTQ+ representation in alcohol/disconnect between brands and the community – Spencer Hoddeson saw an opportunity to enter the $2.2 billion industry (projected to be $57+ billion by 2032) with Gay Water.
More than just a pretty can, Gay Water is truly shaking things up by putting the queer community first and destigmatizing the word gay with its boozy canned beverages. Made with real vodka, each can is only 80 calories, 0g sugar, and made with just 3 ingredients. Currently available in 4 flavors: peach, grapefruit, lime and watermelon.
Launched in July of this year, the brand has already seen amazing success: from being featured in news outlets like CNN, FoodBeast, MSN and The New York Post, to growing its TikTok community to 80k+ followers.
We sat down with Spencer to talk the inspiration for the brand, the highs and lows of navigating the CPG industry, how he manages being an entrepreneur while taking care of his health, goals for 2024 and advice for other founders. Crack open a can and dive in!
I was leading the Brand Marketing and Corporate Social team at Yahoo!
Where did the inspiration for the brand come from?
My brand identity was designed by the incomparable Ryan Sagawa, a queer, Japanese-Hawaiian designer. My references and inspirations that I shared with him are:
Vintage candy: I love the colorful designs and big block letters of candy brands like Razzles and Blow Pops.
Comic books: I was inspired by the dynamic shapes and bubbles of comic books
Pop art: Again, the bold colors and simplicity of pop art. Some of it overlaps with comic books
90s cartoons: there’s so many iconic shapes and colors from this era. The Nickelodeon splat, the Rugrats logo, slime, Olmec from Legends of the Hidden Temple – there’s too many to name.
Who in the industry do you turn to for inspiration? Any other brands in the industry that you admire?
We’ve gotten likened to Liquid Death a few times, which is an incredibly flattering comparison. I think what Liquid Death is doing is the future of the beverage space - creating a lifestyle brand that happens to have a canned water product.
Gen Z and beyond are smart consumers - they want to buy products that go beyond just tasting good - they want a brand that understands them, stands for what they stand for, and that they can have fun with.
What have been the challenges of navigating the CPG industry?
In bev-alc specifically, the hardest part has been navigating the compliance and three-tier (sometimes four-tier) system. When you stack state-by-state laws on top of the distributor system, and then add a side of navigating larger retailers and their processes, you get a supersized challenge.
What impact has the current economy had on the brand?
It’s too early in our infancy to say. However I will say, the boycotts of LGBTQ+ supporting businesses definitely has benefitted us from a media perspective and allowed for conversation to be created around Gay Water.
What were some of the highs/lows from 2023?
Our high was definitely the overwhelming response from media and consumers around our launch. We were trending on CNN.com the day we launched, something I never would have dreamed of.
Our low was production snafus that we had back in May pre-launch. While I was able to work through them and find a solution, that was easily the most stressful week of my life.
As a founder, what do you do to take care of your health - both physical and mental?
Physical: as much exercise as I can squeeze in. Even if it’s just morning stretches or stretching in the shower.
Mental: Sticking to one screen. If I’m on my computer working, I’m not on my phone. If I’m watching TV, I’m not on my phone. If I’m on my phone, I’m trying to not be on my phone 😀
TRY TRY TRY.
What advice do you have for early-stage entrepreneurs?
TRY TRY TRY. Gay Water was just a few designs when we posted to TikTok and all of a sudden we had a community of folks rallying us to create the product. There are so many free platforms, message groups, etc. that you can use for proof of concept. People are so willing to share their feedback, especially if it’s negative feedback!
What foods do you always have in your cupboards/fridge?
Pretzels, sunflower seeds and frozen spring rolls.
What are some other brands you think are killing it?
Fishwife - I think they’ve done an incredible job from brand identity to product to their marketing. They are standing out in the canned fish space.
Liquid Death - I mentioned above, but just a masterclass in building a lifestyle brand, not just a product.
Wendy’s - they just get social media.
What trends do you think are here to stay?
RTD cocktails - I’m a little biased here, but SPINS just released a report, and RTD cocktails are the only category that has grown significantly in the last year. It’s still new, so I expect to see more innovation - whether we’re leading it or not 🙂
Healthier updates to cultural products - this has been happening for a while, but brands like Omsom, I Love Chamoy, and others that are taking products from their founder’s heritage or culture, but adding a healthy-focus to them.
Canned everything - cans are more durable and 100% recyclable. Plastic has gotta go.
What are your goals for 2024?
Getting through the entire shared note movie list that my best friend and I have.
Want to try Gay Water for yourself? Order online here and follow ‘em on social.
In a sea of non-alcoholic alternatives, aperitifs and (uninspired) canned cocktails – and the lack of LGBTQ+ representation in alcohol/disconnect between brands and the community – Spencer Hoddeson saw an opportunity to enter the $2.2 billion industry (projected to be $57+ billion by 2032) with Gay Water.
More than just a pretty can, Gay Water is truly shaking things up by putting the queer community first and destigmatizing the word gay with its boozy canned beverages. Made with real vodka, each can is only 80 calories, 0g sugar, and made with just 3 ingredients. Currently available in 4 flavors: peach, grapefruit, lime and watermelon.
Launched in July of this year, the brand has already seen amazing success: from being featured in news outlets like CNN, FoodBeast, MSN and The New York Post, to growing its TikTok community to 80k+ followers.
We sat down with Spencer to talk the inspiration for the brand, the highs and lows of navigating the CPG industry, how he manages being an entrepreneur while taking care of his health, goals for 2024 and advice for other founders. Crack open a can and dive in!
I was leading the Brand Marketing and Corporate Social team at Yahoo!
Where did the inspiration for the brand come from?
My brand identity was designed by the incomparable Ryan Sagawa, a queer, Japanese-Hawaiian designer. My references and inspirations that I shared with him are:
Vintage candy: I love the colorful designs and big block letters of candy brands like Razzles and Blow Pops.
Comic books: I was inspired by the dynamic shapes and bubbles of comic books
Pop art: Again, the bold colors and simplicity of pop art. Some of it overlaps with comic books
90s cartoons: there’s so many iconic shapes and colors from this era. The Nickelodeon splat, the Rugrats logo, slime, Olmec from Legends of the Hidden Temple – there’s too many to name.
Who in the industry do you turn to for inspiration? Any other brands in the industry that you admire?
We’ve gotten likened to Liquid Death a few times, which is an incredibly flattering comparison. I think what Liquid Death is doing is the future of the beverage space - creating a lifestyle brand that happens to have a canned water product.
Gen Z and beyond are smart consumers - they want to buy products that go beyond just tasting good - they want a brand that understands them, stands for what they stand for, and that they can have fun with.
What have been the challenges of navigating the CPG industry?
In bev-alc specifically, the hardest part has been navigating the compliance and three-tier (sometimes four-tier) system. When you stack state-by-state laws on top of the distributor system, and then add a side of navigating larger retailers and their processes, you get a supersized challenge.
What impact has the current economy had on the brand?
It’s too early in our infancy to say. However I will say, the boycotts of LGBTQ+ supporting businesses definitely has benefitted us from a media perspective and allowed for conversation to be created around Gay Water.
What were some of the highs/lows from 2023?
Our high was definitely the overwhelming response from media and consumers around our launch. We were trending on CNN.com the day we launched, something I never would have dreamed of.
Our low was production snafus that we had back in May pre-launch. While I was able to work through them and find a solution, that was easily the most stressful week of my life.
As a founder, what do you do to take care of your health - both physical and mental?
Physical: as much exercise as I can squeeze in. Even if it’s just morning stretches or stretching in the shower.
Mental: Sticking to one screen. If I’m on my computer working, I’m not on my phone. If I’m watching TV, I’m not on my phone. If I’m on my phone, I’m trying to not be on my phone 😀
TRY TRY TRY.
What advice do you have for early-stage entrepreneurs?
TRY TRY TRY. Gay Water was just a few designs when we posted to TikTok and all of a sudden we had a community of folks rallying us to create the product. There are so many free platforms, message groups, etc. that you can use for proof of concept. People are so willing to share their feedback, especially if it’s negative feedback!
What foods do you always have in your cupboards/fridge?
Pretzels, sunflower seeds and frozen spring rolls.
What are some other brands you think are killing it?
Fishwife - I think they’ve done an incredible job from brand identity to product to their marketing. They are standing out in the canned fish space.
Liquid Death - I mentioned above, but just a masterclass in building a lifestyle brand, not just a product.
Wendy’s - they just get social media.
What trends do you think are here to stay?
RTD cocktails - I’m a little biased here, but SPINS just released a report, and RTD cocktails are the only category that has grown significantly in the last year. It’s still new, so I expect to see more innovation - whether we’re leading it or not 🙂
Healthier updates to cultural products - this has been happening for a while, but brands like Omsom, I Love Chamoy, and others that are taking products from their founder’s heritage or culture, but adding a healthy-focus to them.
Canned everything - cans are more durable and 100% recyclable. Plastic has gotta go.
What are your goals for 2024?
Getting through the entire shared note movie list that my best friend and I have.
Want to try Gay Water for yourself? Order online here and follow ‘em on social.
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