Beam Suntory appointed Preacher, the Austin-based shop launched by Mother New York alums in March of 2014, as creative agency of record for its Knob Creek and Basil Hayden’s whiskey brands, as well as the company’s Irish Whiskey portfolio, AdAge reports.
The appointment follows the arrival of Coca-Cola veteran Rebecca Messina as Beam Suntory’s new global CMO this spring, surprise surprise.
“We were looking for a true partner, who could take these beloved brands and bring them to life in a compelling and premium way,” Beam Suntory North America general manager Greg Hughes explained in a statement. “After a successful RFP process, we found the right fit in Preacher.”
Preacher takes over for Walton Isaacson, who previously handled creative for the brands and created Knob Creek’s first broadcast ad in 2014. According to Kantar Media, Beam Suntory spent around $5.2 million on measured media for Knob Creek last year, while Basil Hayden’s had a much more modest $62,700 media budget. Both brands could potentially see increased media spending going forward as sales increased last year.
Preacher’s first work for Basil Hayden’s is expected this autumn, with the agency’s first campaign for Knob Creek following sometime in 2017.