Rémy Cointreau has debuted a new campaign for its Bruichladdich scotch whisky brand.
The £200k ‘Not Your Classic’ push is centred on the brand’s The Classic Laddie Islay single malt. It will run in-store and online from October until December.
It was “designed to break the mould of the traditionally serious scotch malt aisle”, said Rémy Cointreau UK (RCUK).
The campaign – made in conjunction with creative agency Thirst and shot by Los Angeles-based photographer Justin Bettman – is centered on three characters.
Each of the trio of “irreverent heroes” were chosen to challenge “preconceptions of what a ‘typical’ whisky drinker looks like,” said RCUK.
In one of the ads, a hero character is seen reclining while drinking from a pineapple, “challenging preconceived scenes of stuffy whisky lounges”. In another, the lead is a woman in her 80s enjoying a night out at a roller disco.
“We’ve always gone against the grain when it comes to The Classic Laddie,” said Gareth Brown, global marketing director at Bruichladdich Distillery. “Our aqua bottle stands apart on back bars and in shopping aisles, and the ‘Not Your Classic’ campaign is an extension of this progressive, playful nature.”
It comes after Rémy Cointreau last month announced it had appointed Lee James as its new managing director for the UK, Ireland and Nordic markets.
James, previously a veteran of rival French wine and spirits group Pernod Ricard, has been tasked with overseeing the growth of Rémy Cointreau brands including Rémy Martin, Cointreau, Mount Gay, Bruichladdich and The Botanist Gin.
“Christmas is the best time to be in the drinks industry,” said James. “We’ve been working really closely with our retail partners, large and small, to help elevate their spirits categories, drive sales with premium in-home cocktail and gifting solutions and bring some Christmas cheer to the category.”
Rémy Cointreau cut its full-year sales guidance on Friday (25 October), stating it now expected a further double-digit percentage fall in annual organic sales, following a 19.2% drop last year.
The French drinks maker said sales in the six months to the end of June fell 15.9% organically, or 16.2% on a reported basis, to €533.7m (£445.0m).
The group said destocking in its Americas reporting region, “tougher market conditions” in China and “persistently variable consumer trends” in EMEA were to blame for the downturn.
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