Last month in marketing: Ryan Reynolds poked fun at the origins of his Aviation Gin brand, Skyy vodka continued its celebration of diversity and Bacardi rum hired Black Panther star Michael B Jordan to co-direct a new film.

Ryan Reynolds’ humorous video for Aviation Gin featured in our pick of top marketing campaigns

A celeb-filled month for marketing initiatives saw rapper Lil Wayne star in a new online video series for Bumbu Rum, while singer and activist Amara La Negra recounted her “inspiring version of the American dream” in Skyy vodka’s Proudly American campaign.

Signature serves were also a common theme with Chambord inspiring consumers to “upgrade” their sparkling wine with the addition of the raspberry-flavoured liqueur, and Australian gin Four Pillars launched its first campaign film to introduce the brand’s signature G&T.

Over the following pages, we name our top marketing campaigns launched in December 2018.

Bacardi

Bacardi rum has hired Black Panther star Michael B Jordan to co­-direct a new film as part of its “continued efforts” to push premiumisation in the category.

Jordan and music video director Paul Hunter have joined forces to direct the film, called The Angel’s Share, which seeks to educate consumers about how rum is crafted.

The “narrative-­driven” film follows three characters as they each tell their own version of the story about the angel’s share – a term used to describe the portion of a spirit’s volume that is lost to evaporation during cask maturation.

Aviation Gin

Actor Ryan Reynolds has released a short humorous video that makes fun of his Aviation Gin brand’s production process.

Aviation Gin’s flavour profile is “regionally inspired” and features seven botanicals – juniper, coriander, lavender, cardamom, Indian sarsaparilla, orange peel and anise seed.

In the new video, called The Process, Reynolds acts as narrator and jokes about the origins of Aviation Gin. He claims the brand’s distillers “greet the new day with four hours of silent meditation” and adds that “citrus fruits are misted using only the tears of Aviation’s owner”. Reynolds acquired Oregon­-made Aviation Gin in February last year.

Grant’s

William Grant & Sons will launch its recently overhauled Grant’s whisky range in Africa, supported by a new TV campaign: Good Things Start with Three.

The campaign highlights the brand’s triple wood­-maturation process – using virgin oak, American oak and refill Bourbon barrels in its blend – which is depicted in the advert by three friends coming together on a night out.

Good Things Start with Three will run as 30-­second and 15-­second clips on digital and social media, with additional support from out­-of-­home advertising.

The campaign was created by London agency Mattr Media and directed by Josh Hine. It will launch on TV in South Africa, Kenya, Cameroon and Tanzania.

Skyy

Campari Group has hired singer and activist Amara La Negra to star in the latest video for Skyy vodka’s Proudly American campaign.

Afro­-Latina artist La Negra will front a video, called Serving Individuality, which “celebrates her inspiring version of the American dream”.

In the video, La Negra recounts the story of her single mother, who migrated to the US from the Dominican Republic to allow her daughter to follow her dreams. The initiative aims to “start a worldwide conversation on colourism”.

La Negra said: “I’m proud to lend my voice to Skyy vodka’s Proudly American campaign, which celebrates our differences and how they unite us as a country.”

Talisker

Diageo has launched a voice-­activated Amazon Alexa skill under its Talisker single malt brand to encourage whisky tastings at home.

The Talisker Tasting Experience is a voice-activated skill that can be downloaded onto Alexa­-enabled devices. The skill can lead tastings of Talisker’s Skye, Storm and 10 Year Old expressions, and aims to “make the heritage of Scotch more accessible”.

Diageo said it has identified that voice is “a great way to enhance the whisky tasting experience”, as it allows consumers to create a whisky-­tasting environment similar to those they may experience at a bar or distillery. The Talisker Tasting Experience also encourages tasters to ask questions about the story behind the whisky, or flavours they may enjoy.

Cîroc

Super-premium vodka brand Cîroc has extended its partnership with fashion house Moschino with the launch of a winter wonderland pop­-up at Italian ski resort Cortina.

The Italian pop­-up opened in Cortina last month with a launch party hosted by Moschino creative director Jeremy Scott.

The Cîroc x Moschino winter pop­-up features a giant swing and snow globe­-style domes, which have all been given the ‘Cîroc x Moschino’ twist of bright blue hues and gold chains.

Natalie Wills, global head of Cîroc vodka, said: “We wanted to bring our playful take on luxury to the winter ski season and Cortina was the perfect resort.”

Many elements of the pop­-up will remain in Cortina for the duration of the ski season.

Bulleit

Diageo-owned Bourbon brand Bulleit has revealed the latest cultural partnership in its Frontier Works programme, a 30-ft-­long 3D­-printed bar.

The 3D Printed Frontier installation has been created in Oakland, California by a team of local designers, musicians and mixologists.

Sophie Kelly, senior vice president of Diageo North American whiskeys, said: “From reimagining what a bar could be, to partnering with cutting-­edge mixologists and robotics pioneers to print 3D cocktails, this experience defies convention to redefine tradition, taking people on a journey that explores new frontiers.”

Chambord

Brown-Forman’s Chambord liqueur has launched its Live Rose Tinted campaign, which aims to educate consumers about the brand’s signature serves.

The campaign, which will mark the brand’s first appearance on UK TV since 2015, aims to reach 30 million adults through digital media and out­-of­-home activations.

The push has been created to “inspire consumers to choose fun over the norm” by “upgrading” their sparkling wine with the addition of Chambord.

The brand’s Joanna Austin said: “We’re reaching more consumers than ever before with our Chambord advertising and showing them just how easy it is to upgrade their usual fizz.”

Four Pillars

Australian gin brand Four Pillars has launched its first campaign film, a “Wes Anderson-­style” introduction to the brand’s signature G&T.

The film breaks down the Four Pillars G&T into its key components – ice, gin, tonic and orange.

Four vignettes introduce each component, which combine to create the signature serve.

Four Pillars co­-founder and brand director Matt Jones said: “It’s the time of year to keep things easy and smash out a few perfect G&Ts, made with our Rare Dry Gin, great tonic and a big wedge of fresh orange.”

The film will run on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube and will be accompanied by a street poster campaign in several Australian cities.

Bumbu Rum

Rapper Lil Wayne was in the hot seat for the first episode of an online video series created by Bumbu Rum, called The Bumbu Room, in which celebrities answer questions from the their fans.

In the first video of the series, hip hop star Lil Wayne is grilled about plastic surgery, Rihanna and Nicki Minaj, and Michael Jordan versus Kobe Bryant.

The video, which is available to watch on YouTube, is the first in an online series that will see music producer DJ Khaled, American rapper Rick Ross, musician Dave East, and other celebrities be quizzed by their fans.

Before filming, each artist will announce their Bumbu Room participation on social media to give fans the opportunity to submit their best questions.