Dutch Barn campaign seeks to ‘shake up’ vodka

English brand Dutch Barn Vodka, co-owned by Ricky Gervais, has revealed a new visual identity and campaign as part of a multi-million-pound investment.

Launching on 26 August, the new campaign leads with a tagline, ‘Positively Different,’ aiming to drive consumer awareness of the brand’s sustainable credentials and position in the market.

Among the updates is the addition of three new key colours to brighten the brand’s aesthetic, representing the vodka’s production methods with apples. The new branding will also include a typeface and a curving shape inspired by the York-based distillery’s distinctive Dutch barn design, with some designs featuring Gervais.

“For too long, we believe that the bar in vodka has been pretty average. Our mission is to show everyone how good vodka can actually be and get them excited about it,” said Ross Haddow, chief marketing officer at Ellers Farm Distillery.

“Since day one, Dutch Barn has approached things differently – from how it’s made, the processes we follow at our distillery, down to the packaging we show up in – it’s all counter-category, but done with positive intent. We want to shake up the category and have a bit of fun at the same time.”

The campaign is the start of a multi-million-pound investment for the brand, following Dutch Barn’s first TV advert earlier this summer. It will cover key commuting spots and grocery outlets in Yorkshire and London. The activation will be supported by a targeted digital and social media campaign featuring Gervais.

Advert ban on London Underground

Gervais recently took to X (formerly Twitter) to claim that a Dutch Barn advert on the London Underground had been banned by Transport for London (TfL) for failing to meet advertising regulations.

The satirical ad depicted Gervais sitting with a glass in hand, with the accompanying text stating: “You’ll be underground soon”.

Posting on X, Gervais shared that the ban was justified with the following statement: “We think there is a risk that this may be construed as implying that because life is short, one might as well drink, potentially to excess.”

However, a TfL spokesperson said: “We did not reject this advert. This creative was declined by our advertising partner based on feedback from the Committees of Advertising Practice.

“The client has resubmitted a new creative, which was approved by our advertising partner and is currently being installed across our network.”

Dutch Barn Vodka currently has UK-wide distribution deals with Sainsbury’s, Costco, and Morrisons and regional deals with Tesco.

The brand was launched in 2022 and is made at the Ellers Farm Distillery in North Yorkshire, England. Gervais invested in the distillery and brand in 2023.