Jameson teams up with Cillian Murphy

Pernod Ricard-owned Jameson Irish Whiskey has launched a global marketing campaign called ‘Must be a Jameson’.

The advert series is narrated by Irish actor Cillian Murphy and directed by Oscar-nominated writer-director Bryan Buckley.

The campaign is based around the idea of connecting like-minded people who embody the brand’s attributes: ‘always welcoming’ and ‘forever smooth’.

“Jameson is a serious whiskey that doesn’t take itself too seriously, and this new campaign is our lighthearted take on connecting people through their shared outlook on life,” said Johan Radojewski, Jameson’s vice-president of marketing.

“Have you ever sat at a bar, saw a stranger, and wondered if you’d be friends in another life? Next time, go say ‘hello’. After all, they could be a Jameson, too.”

The first advert features a character called Jose, who ‘can’t seem to have his day ruined, no matter what’ and manages to smoothly turn every mishap into a positive.

The second advert in the series will launch in mid-November, and features Jameson Orange, a fruit-flavoured spirit drink inspired by the Old Fashioned cocktail that launched in the US in January.

The campaign, which was created in partnership with Ogilvy, will appear in TV, audio, social, OOH (out of home advertising) and streaming channels in the US, with a global launch to follow in 2024.

Last month, the whiskey brand released a 21-year-old limited edition expression matured in rum-seasoned casks.

Pernod Ricard reported an ‘expected’ 2% drop in its first-quarter sales for fiscal 2024 due to weaker demand in China.