Rediscovering a 135-Year-Old Hidden Gem
The joy of discovering a hidden gem is truly unparalleled. This sentiment was the catalyst for our latest campaign, the first for Four Roses in the growing UK bourbon market. When Spirit Cartel approached us to help extend the appeal of the beloved American brand to younger drinkers in the UK, we embarked on a journey to thoroughly understand who would offer the brand not just a new drinker, but a loyal fan base, and then delved deep into their culture and preferences to lay the foundation for cool but effective creative.
“Getting up close and personal with younger UK whisky drinkers helped us build a creative platform that balanced the authenticity and heritage of the US brand and leaned into what our younger audience wanted to be seen drinking and sharing. Taste is just one aspect of their favorite tipple, they wanted a spirit brand that stood out and shared their attitude.” – Jane Hovey, Partner, Vivaldi
Crafting a Campaign to Intrigue
Driven by these insights and trends, the campaign strategically targets what we’ve dubbed “The Discovery Generation”. This group values self-discovery and authenticity, setting the stage for the campaign’s central theme – “Don’t Mention It.” The campaign captures the tension between encouraging discovery and respecting the audience’s propensity for self-discovery. The ‘Don’t Mention It’ concept boldly obscures the brand name while cleverly using the Four Roses cluster as a visual cue, combining best practices in marketing science with an intriguing visual strategy.
The campaign made a splash with the unveiling of a 7m spray-painted wall in the artsy Shoreditch district. The wall was then ‘vandalized’ to obscure the brand name, creating intrigue and curiosity among passers-by. This hiding effect, replicated across all digital executions, plays on the idea of letting people discover a best-kept secret for themselves. It sets the tone for an unexpected and intriguing style designed to spark curiosity and create a sense of ‘discovery.’
Four Roses’ ‘Don’t Mention It’ campaign marks a significant stride in the brand’s journey, symbolizing its commitment to understanding the evolving preferences of a new generation of spirit drinkers in the UK.
