Last summer, Wild Turkey named Matthew McConaughey as the brand’s creative director while awarding its creative account to JWT. After the beginning of his journey with the brand in September, with his debut spot as director and creative director, we learned last December that the Hollywood star’s $4 million contract made him the highest paid creative director in the business.
While arguably far short of the actor’s $4 million price tag, “The Journey Begins” was not without its charm. The latest effort from McConaughey and JWT, however, falls short of the expectations it set.
The spot shows McConaughey walking down the street, with a bottle of Wild Turkey in hand, as fireworks go off in the background and Davie sings “Testify.” Passers-by greet him with a friendly smile, perhaps because of his taste in bourbon or possibly because they’re starstruck. The voiceover resembles the approach of last year’s effort, celebrating the brand, which “didn’t set out to make a hit,” but rather “just sang our song.”
The overall approach is similar to last year’s effort. Beyond the aforementioned voiceover, the spot also highlights a musical act which it works into the spot itself. Like its predecessor, it concludes with the “It’ll Find You” tagline. But the effort ultimately feels more like a tired retread of the same basic method than an expansion on the approach, a sign that it’s time for JWT and McConaughey to try something new.