To Hell with Tradition: the Challenge of Creating a Daring Brand with Reif Rum

The (self-proclaimed) official rum for non-conformists. Reif Rum is an American-made rum that originated during the dull days of the COVID confinement period—while some people enjoyed baking fresh bread, others thought, “Why not create a rum brand?” To establish Reif’s brand—both identity and visuals—we recognized that we needed to fully embody the founders’ motto: “Whatever you do, you should be having fun doing it.” The result was a bold and cheeky brand that seamlessly blends irreverence with sophistication and class with provocation. In the end, we indeed had a great deal of fun doing it. Let’s drop the heritage thing. In an industry that values heritage, Reif Rum is the child of three partners, new to distilling, who crafted an unconventional sweet and smoky liquor that defies rum-mak