Meet ‘GENERACIONES,’ a Zine for Those Who Dare to Dream Differently
As its name indicates, the tale of Tres Generaciones is the story of three generations. Specifically, three Dons, each with their own legacy. Over 150 years, they built a family business around tequila and dedicated their lives to improving, expanding, and advocating for the spirit. That dedication enters a glossy new chapter with the launch of “GENERACIONES,” a zine imbued with the same creativity and tenacity embodied by the Dons.
Terrell Jones by Wayn Reid
In 1873, Don Cenobio Sauza founded La Perseverancia distillery, becoming one of the first to export tequila outside of Mexico. Next came Don Eladio Sauza, who lobbied for recognition of the name tequila, determining what we say when we order the spirit today. And then there’s Don Francisco Javier Sauza, known for being tequila’s first global ambassador, who 50 years ago crafted a batch to commemorate the distillery’s centennial, thereby creating the tequila we now know as Tres Generaciones.
This family of passionate pioneers championed quality, originality, and craft. Tres Generaciones’ tequila-making method exemplifies that dedication: The agave is hand-selected and fresh-pressed before taking the additional step of triple-distilling the Añejo, Plata, Reposado, and Cristalino tequilas for a smoother, more polished tasting experience. More than that, they’re leaders who desire to make something they believe in and share it with the world.
Welcoming a New Generation
Cory Townes by Jacob Consenstein
The passion at the heart of Tres Generaciones fuels “GENERACIONES.” The digital magazine and limited-run print publication launched this summer to commemorate 50 years of the brand and to celebrate the creation, innovation, process, and — most importantly — perseverance that forms its foundation.
“GENERACIONES” is “about the ties that bind us … illustrating what we share in common and what makes us distinctly different.” In other words, it isn’t simply a magazine about a spirit but a publication dedicated to the human spirit. Along with cocktail recipes and articles about the brand’s heritage, “GENERACIONES” is packed with stories of inspiring individuals from the brand’s Familia Tres talent collective. Change makers who, through their effort and ethos, represent “what it means to Always Get Up, an unrelenting pursuit of what gives us meaning.”
Andrew Eis, the senior marketing director of global tequila at Beam Suntory, the brand’s parent company, says what excites him most about this project is the opportunity to spotlight individuals who evoke the same spirit of perseverance as the Dons in everything they do. And each person’s journey aligns with the motto Tres Generaciones coined with a campaign last year: “Fail Twice, Get Up Tres.” They’ve each overcome setbacks, poured in time, and used their talent to make their mark. And by sharing these stories and its own, the brand hopes its audience is inspired to do the same.
“What fires me up most about establishing the Familia Tres Talent Collective and rolling out “GENERACIONES,” the collectible zine, is that it gives a platform for voices that my team and I felt the world needed to hear from,” Eis says. “Because each member of our Famila Tres is an inspiring figure and reminds us to embrace the journey, and celebrate the highs and lows, both personally and professionally. To recognize that setbacks aren’t the end of your story, but rather the jumping-off point for following your passions.”
The Voices of “GENERACIONES”
Victoria Monet by Shaniqwa Jarvis
Tequila is a labor of love, not just a science but an art. So it makes sense that when looking for stories to feature within the publication’s pages, the brand would hone in on a field where creativity is key, hustle is integral, and experimentation is celebrated: music.
“GENERACIONES” features creatives from across the music industry — on the stage, in the studio, and behind the scenes — and each is unique in their expertise. The issue’s cover star, Victoria Monét, who performed at the Los Angeles launch party in July, is an artist and Grammy-nominated songwriter who has worked with stars like Ariana Grande. Cory Townes, the son of DJ Jazzy Jeff, is working hard to carve out a space of his own in the same world where his father found fame. Terrell Jones is a savvy stylist who has counted Fat Joe and DJ Khaled among his clients, while Samantha “Sam” Selolwane, co-head of promotion at RCA Records, is likely the reason you’ve heard and fallen in love with songs from Usher, SZA, Miguel, and more.
SAM SELOLWANE by Shana Trajanoska
But the talent isn’t limited to those portrayed in the magazine’s pages. When sourcing contributors to conduct interviews, take photos, and put together these profiles, managing editor Miles DeSouza of Team Epiphany, the marketing agency Tres partnered with on the project, focused on finding best-in-class creatives who shine in their own realms. DeSouza emphasized how he and his team handpicked the writers and photographers for this ambitious project, then strategically paired them with compatible subjects to ensure collaborators clicked and each story was treated with the utmost care.
“For us, we wanted to be able to tell stories on all sides … the in-front-of-the-camera talent, and then the writers and then the photographers,” he says. “So it’s a little bit of creating a world around and within the magazine.”
That world is about finding and fighting for what you love. And though the contributors to the zine may differ in their specialties, what they have in common counts the most: commitment to craft, dedication to doing things differently, and an unrelenting determination, as demonstrated by the Dons themselves.
Plus, in many cases, a taste for tequila, of course.
This article is sponsored by Tres Generaciones.
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