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Top 10 spirits marketing moves in June 2020

From a US$5 million investment to boost diversity in the American whiskey industry to a 10-day exploration of the Amazon rainforest, these were some of the most creative brand initiatives last month.

Bacardi asked three flat mates to film a true reflection of life during lockdown

While Bacardi recruited three flat mates to depict life in lockdown on film, Buffalo Trace adapted its annual 5km distillery run in light of the global pandemic.

Meanwhile, Scotch whisky brand Glen Moray unveiled a new online series, called Whisky Surgeries, and Loch Lomond Whiskies named a new ambassador.

What’s clear is that despite the pandemic, brands remain innovative when it comes to marketing initiatives and committed to important causes – such as Rémy Martin’s latest sustainability pledge.

Click through to the following pages to learn more about the top 10 marketing moves that caught our eye in June. 

Moskovskaya Vodka

Moskovskaya Vodka has unveiled its new campaign, called Green is an Attitude, which aims to communicate the brand’s “premium, modern drinking experience” while retaining its Russian heritage.

The creative direction in the US champions the brand’s new packaging update. A double-headed eagle has been added to the label to celebrate Imperial Russia; Moskovskaya was first produced in 1894.

The redesign will be introduced in the US through the brand’s new distributor, Blue Spring Imports. The packaging update marks a new chapter for Moskovskaya as it seeks to appeal to a new generation of US drinkers. The campaign features contemporary street art and ink depictions of classic Russian icons, including Moscow’s Red Square, and the wild eagles and animals found in Russia’s forests.

Bacardi

Bacardi rum has released its latest digital spot, the brand’s first remote shoot conducted during the coronavirus lockdown.

The advert, called Bacardi Roommates, involved three real flatmates who “authentically translate to screen how people are maximising their time

in quarantine”.

The film showed how the roommates – Alina Carson, Kiara Ailene Pace and Raisa Iqbal – spent their time at home doing activities such as choreographing a dance, singing karaoke, practising at-home mixology, giving each other haircuts and cheering on healthcare workers from the fire escape.

Bacardi and its creative agency, BBDO New York, and production company 1st Ave Machine, provided the roommates with professional film equipment.

Canaïma Gin

A team from Venezuelan brand Canaïma Gin has recently returned from a trip to the country’s section of the Amazon jungle, where they were supporting local communities.

The 10-day trip saw the gin brand visit Sagaray and Wakajarita, in the Orinoco Delta, on the banks of Caño Manamo. For the Canaïma Gin project, the team worked with these communities through the Tierra Viva Foundation as part of the brand’s CSR programme. Through the project, 10% of Canaima Gin’s sales are reinvested to contribute to the preservation of the indigenous tribes of the Amazon.

The project has allowed the community to build a ‘janoko’, a typical Warao house, as well as materials such as glorifiers, small and large baskets, canisters, coasters and bracelets made of moriche palm fibre and bora fibre.

Buffalo Trace

Sazerac’s Buffalo Trace Distillery will hold its 19th annual Great Buffalo Chase 5k run virtually this month to raise funds for charity.

The annual race will see participants running or walking in their hometowns and local neighbourhoods from 3 to 5 July, instead of running at the Frankfort-based distillery as usual.

Runners were posted a commemorative T-shirt and race bib, and had the option to record and submit their personal race time by midnight on 5 July. Buffalo Trace encouraged participants to use the hashtag #chasethebuffalo on social media and dress in their best patriotic or Buffalo Trace attire.

In other news, Sazerac reopened Kentucky distilleries Buffalo Trace and Barton 1792 to the public on 1 July.

Glen Moray

Speyside distillery Glen Moray has created a monthly online series, called Whisky Surgeries, to bring drinkers together and share knowledge.

The digital whisky events will be hosted by the producer’s head of whisky creation, Kirstie McCallum, who will gather “curious drinkers who are missing out on their usual distillery visits and festivals this year”.

The first event was due to be held on 7 July, and explored unusual cask maturation. Viewers were set to take part in a virtual tasting and tour of Glen Moray’s Warehouse 1, home to the brand’s rare casks and maturation experiments.

McCallum said: “Glen Moray has a unique history of cask experimentation and I have a good few anecdotes to share on the discoveries that have been made in our distillery. Bringing people who are interested in whisky together to share knowledge is another passion of mine so this new series provides a great platform to do this.”

Jägermeister

German herbal bitter Jägermeister launched a limited edition #SaveTheNight bottle, and will donate an extra €1 million (US$1.14m) to help artists, creatives, bartenders or club owners facing hardship because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The bottle is part of the brand’s global #SaveTheNight campaign. The bottle’s illustration aims to send a “strong message of hope” to nightlife communities and a “signal of solidarity with people who usually make the night”. The €1m donation will be distributed across markets where the bottle is available, including Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, the UK, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Argentina.

In August, the bottle will also be made available in South Africa, South Korea, China and Australia.

Loch Lomond Whiskies

The Official Spirit of The Open, Loch Lomond Whiskies, has recruited golfer Rich Beem as its latest brand ambassador.

Former PGA champion Beem joins fellow golfers Colin Montgomerie, Darren Clarke, Cristie Kerr and Iona Stephen as golf ambassadors for the brand.

Texan Beem is perhaps best known for beating Tiger Woods by one shot to win the 2002 PGA Championship. He joined Sky Sports as a commentator and golf analyst in 2015.

This month, Beem will host a live Q&A with fellow professional golfer and Loch Lomond Whiskies ambassador Clarke, called At Home with Darren Clarke. It will take place during what would have been the week of the 149th Open golf tournament (12-19 July 2020).

Edinburgh Gin

Ian Macleod Distillers-owned Edinburgh Gin teamed up with Penguin Books to create a limited edition gift pack.

Designed for Father’s Day (21 June), the gift pack included a 700ml bottle of Edinburgh Gin’s ‘classic’ London Dry expression and a clothbound book.

Buyers could choose one of three Penguin clothbound books for the gift pack: The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn or Robinson Crusoe.

Neil Boyd, UK managing director of Ian Macleod Distillers, said: “Edinburgh Gin is thrilled to be working with our friends at Penguin Books to celebrate those timeless dads out there – those who would appreciate nothing more than enjoying a great book with a delicious drink in hand this Father’s Day.”

Nearest Green Distillery and Jack Daniel’s

Nearest Green Distillery and Jack Daniel’s have jointly pledged US$5 million as part of a new initiative to boost diversity in the American whiskey industry.

The Nearest & Jack Advancement Initiative will see the two brands create the Nearest Green School of Distilling, develop the Leadership Acceleration Program (LAP) for apprenticeships and form the Business Incubation Program, which will provide expertise and resources to African-American entrepreneurs entering the spirits sector. The LAP will offer apprenticeships to African-Americans in the whiskey industry, who want to become a head distiller, head of maturation or production manager.

Rémy Martin

The House of Rémy Martin has upped its sustainability efforts by pledging to discontinue gift boxes on certain products.

The move is part of the brand’s push to “protect the environment with each and every action it undertakes”.

After removing VSOP gift boxes in some countries, the firm extended this to other bottles in the range, including 1738, Club and XO in the on-trade. Rémy Martin will also develop an eco-design rating process, applied to every product, based on four product lifecycle criteria: CO2, resource exhaustion, water-resource exhaustion and water ecotoxicity to reduce its carbon footprint.

“We are convinced that our fight ensures sustainable protection of the soil, the environment and our savoir-faire: it is ambitious, collective and respectful of the Charente region,” said CEO Philippe Farnier.

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