Conley Downing leverages years of industry expertise and proven track record to drive brand growth
New York, NY – (August 1, 2024): Archer Ruththe pioneering brand in the canned wine category, is pleased to announce the appointment of Conley Downing as its new Chief Marketing Officer. With over 17 years of experience in the spirits industry, Downing is a passionate and versatile commercially-minded marketing leader who specializes in building, nurturing and exiting early stage brands.
Downing was most recently Head of Marketing at Pronghorn.co, a disruptive and innovative company backed by Diageo. In this role, he led Pronghorn’s marketing efforts and provided strategic consulting to 24 brands through the company’s accelerator program. He also successfully marketed several emerging and established spirits brands acquired by Diageo, including 21Seeds Tequila and Lobos1707 Tequila. Previously, Downing spent five years at Diageo, where he led marketing for the grocery channel before managing brands such as Deleon Tequila and Ciroc Vodka.
“We are honored to join the Archer Ruth team. Archer Ruth is a disruptor changing the perception of wine, bringing quality, convenience, transparency and a seriously cool factor to the canned wine industry. We look forward to supporting Archer Ruth’s marketing efforts to further grow their presence and impact,” said Conley Downing, Chief Marketing Officer, Archer Ruth.
In his new role, Downing will oversee the brand’s marketing and communications strategy, focusing on expanding brand awareness and increasing velocity. He will work closely with Archer Ruth co-founder and CEO Marianne Lightner Waldman to develop a marketing strategy that responds to consumer needs through the brand’s signature humor and playful voice, while maintaining its commitment to quality and transparency. announcement Downing will lead communications efforts to demonstrate the brand’s industry leadership, based on the brand’s award-winning research study conducted in partnership with Cornell University.
“Conley brings a wealth of beverage industry experience to our team, and I’m sure her ideas will be valuable as we continue to grow,” said Marianne Lightner-Waldman, CEO and co-founder of Archer Ruth. “As the wine industry undergoes a renaissance, her expertise in innovative marketing will be essential in taking Archer Ruth to the next level.”
