Guillermo del Toro helms new Patrón campaign
Bacardi-owned Patrón Tequila has enlisted Oscar-winning filmmaker Guillermo del Toro to direct its latest marketing campaign.
Titled ‘The Perfect Pour’, the short film turns a simple pour of Patrón into a cinematic moment.
The film shows del Toro and a complete crew working together in ‘perfect sync’ and with ‘extraordinary precision’ to capture a perfect pour of the Tequila. The advert notes that this may seem excessive – for a simple pour, considering del Toro’s film credentials and accolades – but “mirrors the lengths we go to craft every bottle”.
“When you refuse to compromise on your process, even the smallest detail deserves perfection,” the brand said.
You can watch the full video below.
Del Toro first collaborated with the Bacardi-owned brand in 2017 on a limited edition Tequila bottling. He said: “Perfection isn’t rushed – it’s built frame by frame, pour by pour. I believe in artistry over industry, soul over process, and making things without compromise. That’s what drew me to this collaboration with Patrón.
“This film is about honouring craft, intention, and the beauty that comes from doing things the right way.”
The film was shot at the Patrón Hacienda in Jalisco, Mexico, and made in partnership with BBH USA.
Many Mexican visual elements are included in the film, such as a stylised skeleton crew, which is said to represent the many hands behind both the film and every bottle of the Tequila.
The crew working on the film was Mexican-led, and included Guillermo Navarro, Karla Castañeda, Guy Davis, Dennis Berardi, Nathan Robitaille and Terry Notary.
Patrón’s vice-president of global communications, Laila Mignoni, said: “From the beginning, the creative vision was to tell the Patrón story in a way that felt cinematic and intentional, drawing parallels to the uncompromising spirit and greatness of Guillermo del Toro.
“Guillermo brought that vision to life by directing ‘The Perfect Pour’ using rich Mexican imagery and motion capture performers to create skeletons to bring his world to life that feels handcrafted yet technically masterful.
“What appears to be a simple pour becomes an incredibly detailed, rich world that is crafted with extraordinary precision and care – just like our process at Patrón.”
‘We don’t compromise on our process’
The film premiered yesterday (18 March) on ESPN during the Golden State Warriors vs Boston Celtics NBA game.
The campaign can now be viewed across TV, online video, digital and social channels, which includes behind-the-scenes content offering a look at del Toro’s creative process.
It will debut later this year in additional markets.
“At Patrón, we’ve always believed that how you make something matters,” added the brand’s global senior vice-president, Roberto Ramirez-Laverde.
“From day one, we’ve never compromised on how we craft our Tequila – using only three natural ingredients (agave, water, time) and traditional, time-honoured methods to give our Tequila the patience and care it deserves.
“Guillermo shares that same dedication to greatness and refusal to compromise. The Perfect Pour delivers a message that hiring an award-winning filmmaker to direct a simple pour shot may seem excessive – but those are the same lengths we go to craft every bottle at Patrón. We don’t compromise on our process.”
Patrón’s process and three-ingredient list were at the heart of the brand’s last campaign, Censored Truth, which made headlines last year during a dispute with Tequila’s regulatory body over the use of the term ‘additive-free’.
Last year, the brand also introduced a new look for its bottles, marking its first design refresh since launching in 1989.
To kickstart this year, meanwhile, the brand toasted to ‘music’s biggest night’ as the official Tequila of the 2026 Grammy Awards.
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