Grant’s whisky switches focus to young consumers

Grant’s Scotch whisky has switched its marketing focus from older male drinkers to a younger, “millennial” audience.

Grant’s new marketing campaign #IOU is targeting a new generation of whisky consumers

Brand owner William Grant & Sons has traditionally used product-led marketing to communicate with its target audience, which up until now has been older male consumers.

Previous campaigns have included advertising on Classic FM and ITV4, around shows such as Minder, The Saint and The Professionals.

The blended Scotch whisky brand is now targeting a younger “millennial” generation with #IOU, a short film distributed solely online ad the first consumer-facing installation of Grant’s Stand Together campaign.

Directed by Bafta-nominated director Yann Demange, the advert follows a group of friends through a series of challenges in which they support each other.

Shane Hoyne, global brand director for Grant’s, said: “This year has been an ambitious one for the Grant’s team with the roll out of a new global brand positioning Stand Together, the diversification of the Grant’s range and an expansion to exciting new markets. 2015 will continue in a similar vein with ground breaking innovation and the launch of additional ranges in the coming months.”

The new marketing strategy comes as the group launched a new expression in June this year designed to attract younger consumers to the brand.

Grant’s Signature is a 40% abv expression that “extends [Grant’s] appeal to whisky enthusiasts who are discovering the category and looking to enjoy whisky with friends on social occasions”.

The online ad will be released in over 40 countries in Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America and North America this week.

It will be supported by PR, social media and online media buys through into 2015.

Click on the link below to see the advertisement in full.