The Challenge
Leveraging Influencer Marketing to Drive Partnership + LTO Awareness
Saint James Iced Tea engaged The MRL Group to develop a high-impact influencer marketing program centered on its partnership with The White Lotus. In tandem with the partnership, the brand introduced a limited-edition Mango Organic Black Tea, inspired by the show’s iconic luxury resort aesthetic.
The influencer kits — designed for select press and lifestyle influencers — needed to accomplish several goals:
- Embody the distinct brand identities of both Saint James Iced Tea and The White Lotus
- Hero the limited-edition beverage within the partnership narrative
- Deliver a fully immersive unboxing experience
- Evoke the tropical, five-star resort vibe synonymous with the series
Beyond influencer seeding, The MRL Group was also tasked with developing branded elements for The White Lotus premiere party, sponsored by Saint James Iced Tea. This requirement created an opportunity to build a seamless experiential through-line from influencer unboxing to real-world activation.
This program demonstrates how strategic influencer marketing, experiential design, and operational execution can work together to create meaningful brand partnerships in the beverage category.
MRL Action Plan
High-End Custom Influencer Kits Inspired by a Luxury Resort Experience
The MRL Group designed the influencer kits around the concept of a luxury resort “welcome drink” experience, carefully curating every element to feel intentional, elevated, and worthy of the partnership.
Each custom influencer kit featured:
- A dramatic, premium unboxing experience, including a luxe pull-out drawer and immersive patterns and colors inspired by both brands
- Thoughtful co-branding that clearly told the story of the Saint James Iced Tea x The White Lotus collaboration
- Everything needed to recreate the welcome drink moment, including:
- The limited-edition Mango Organic Black Tea
- Curated dried mango garnish
- A branded recipe card
- To complete the experience, the kits included carefully selected, vibe-driven details, such as:
- A stylish trinket tray
- A retro hotel key chain
- A metal stir stick with elephant embellishment
- A custom serving tray designed to elevate the drink presentation
- Four custom embroidered cloth cocktail napkins
In addition to creative development, The MRL Group managed sourcing, production, custom kitting, and nationwide fulfillment, ensuring all influencer kits were delivered on time ahead of The White Lotus premiere.
The Results
Premium Influencer Experiences Brought the Partnership to Life
The custom influencer kits served as a key component of a 360-degree marketing campaign that included organic and paid social media, retail partnerships with brands such as Amazon and Target, out-of-home placements, and experiential marketing.
The final influencer kits successfully:
- Elevated awareness of the Saint James Iced Tea x The White Lotus partnership
- Positioned the limited-edition beverage as a luxury lifestyle offering
- Delivered an influencer-delighting unboxing experience that invoked five-star luxury resort vibes
Because all custom kitting and fulfillment were executed in-house, The MRL Group was able to streamline production, maintain quality control, and deliver the kits efficiently — ensuring they reached press and influencers nationwide ahead of the premiere and within the required timeline.
Looking to Launch a Brand Partnership Through Influencer Marketing?
The MRL Group specializes in influencer marketing for beverage and lifestyle brands, high-end custom influencer kits, experiential and partnership-driven activations and end-to-end kitting, fulfillment, and logistics.