The 56 Society: Building Emotional Loyalty Through Legacy & Experience

This conversation explores how Nearest Green Distillery and Uncle Nearest Whiskey partnered with AnyRoad to launch the 56 Society — a premium loyalty and membership program rooted in emotional connection, legacy, and deeply immersive brand experiences.Key Takeaways: Loyalty as Emotional Legacy: Loyalty at Uncle Nearest is not transactional; it’s about emotional resonance, storytelling, and community. It’s built through meaningful in-person experiences and deep brand connection.

• The 56 Society:
  • Loyalty was previously tracked through return visits, NPS, survey data (via AnyRoad), and social engagement. Over 50% of guests returned due to word-of-mouth.
  • Instead of copying industry norms, they looked outside — American Express for premium loyalty structure, and professional sports for community-building models.
  • A premium membership club offering exclusive access to rare spirits, VIP events, welcome gifts, and insider experiences. Members become elevated brand ambassadors.
• Partnership with AnyRoad:
  • AnyRoad supported strategy, operations, branding, and execution of the 56 Society. The collaboration felt like an extension of their team, allowing them to launch in under a year.
  • The program has generated immediate revenue and long-term loyalty. Members are proud to share the brand — turning into passionate, paying ambassadors who spread Uncle Nearest’s story across the country.
  • Plans include adding tiers, regional chapters, and pop-up activations. The brand is using the 56 Society as an R&D focus group to test new experiences and offerings.