Rokkan launched a new campaign for whisky brand Glenfiddich that marks its first work since winning agency of record duties for parent company William Grant & Sons in April.
The campaign promotes Glenfiddich Bourbon Barrel Reserve 14 Year Old with a series of digital spots asking to “Rethink Whiskey,” challenging perceptions and assumptions about scotch and bourbon. In the first spot, “Scotland, KY,” a glass of Glenfiddich Bourbon Barrel Reserve 14 Year Old is slowly poured into an empty glass as the voiceover asks, “Think America’s next big whisky is from Kentucky?” before the footage reverses and the golden liquid makes its way back into the bottle.
From there the spots get a bit more specific in promoting the product, which is aged at a Scottish distillery in American oak casks formerly used for bourbon, resulting in a flavor combining elements of bourbon and Scotch. “Scotch with Dad” presents the brand as an answer to the question “Think it’d be nice if dad looked up to you for a change?” as a daughter offers her guitar-crafting dad a glass of ourbon Barrel Reserve 14 Year Old.
Another ad compares the notes of vanilla, brown sugar and apple in the drink to “Aunt Evie’s cobbler,” as Evie sits down for a glass while patting the head of her dog statue. While “Scotch with Dad,” positions the brand as a spin on tradition old-fashioned Scotch drinkers and the younger generation can appreciate, “Aunt Evie” shows that the drink can also appeal to those who typically wouldn’t reach for a Scotch while also noting some characteristic flavors that set it apart. “Pairings,” meanwhile, challenges the notion that Scotch is for stuffy, formal events or pairing with haute cuisine. It tackles the assumptions directly via voiceover as a guy pours glasses of the whisky for friends at a barbecue.
“[The campaign] is sort of leaning into where you expect Scotch to come from and the types of people drinking Scotch and the flavors you expect it to have or the occasions you would drink it at,” Rokkan CCO Brian Carley told Adweek. “We wanted to turn those on their head a little bit.”
“Overall, we will elevate the brand and create an instance where the brand becomes more top of mind for everybody but also for people that have specific palates and specific tastes,” he added. “It allows us to lean into those too.”
Credits:
Agency: Rokkan
Chief Creative Officer: Brian Carley
Chief Strategy Officer: Sean Miller
SVP, Chief Delivery Officer: Joe Tao
SVP, Client Partnership: Matt Garcia
Creative Director: Jeffrey Samson
Creative Director: Anthony DiPaula
Art Director: Jacqueline Mellow
Copywriter: Mike Maher
Executive Producer: Greg Tharp
Producer: Sarah Donnenberg
Producer: Tina Lam
VP Client Partnership: Kaitlyn Brenner
Account Supervisor: Zack Stoller
Associate Director, Strategy: Emily Garvey
Strategist: Rafael Ramirez
Production: Decon
Executive Producer: Misha Louy
Head of Production: Brian Turner
Director: JEAN
Producer: Mark Miner
Post: Fluid
Editor: Peter Sabatino
Executive Producer: Laura Relovsky