Dive Brief:

• Bulleit Frontier Whiskey, owned by Diageo, is collaborating with street artist Elle StreetArt to turn bourbon barrels into artwork and planters at the Tribeca Festival, according to a press release. The annual film festival kicked off this week in New York City.
• The bourbon brand is also releasing a limited-edition run of vinyl records showcasing performances from the June 9 opening night of the Tribeca Music Lounge. The record is being produced with UnitedMasters.
• The effort sees Bulleit continuing its relationship with the Tribeca Festival and giving it an e-commerce angle, as the art barrels and vinyl will be available for purchase via online gallery Saatchi Art once the event is over. Proceeds will be donated to the American Forests’’Tree Equity Program, giving the initiative a socially conscious angle.

Dive Insight:

As COVID-19 restrictions continue to ease, brands are eager to establish their presence at major in-person events. Bulleit’s installation marks the distiller’s fourth year at Tribeca Festival. A highly visual and colorful installation such as bourbon barrel planters could make the distiller’s support apparent to festival goers. Starting June 9 and running through June 12, ticket holders can view the commissioned art work and participate in seedling plantings.

Bulleit’s support of the music lounge is another way the brand is making its presence known at the festival. Additionally, it serves as a way for the distiller to deepen its relationship with UnitedMasters, which it partnered with earlier this year to launch “Independent(s) Exchange.” The program seeks to help up-and-coming artists partner with brands such as Bulleit and parent company Diageo.

The e-commerce push gives Bulleit a way to extend the reach to consumers who may not be able to attend the festival but are still interested in young artists. By donating the proceeds from both the vinyl and barrels to the Tree Equity Program, Bulleit is trying to establish itself as culturally relevant and socially conscious. Issues such as the environment are of high importance to young consumers, and many brands are trying to project social consciousness in order to win them over. Such an approach is likely important for Bulleit, as young consumers are largely credited with driving the growth of bourbon in the United States.

"By tapping into the intersection of art and sustainability, we're able to spread the powerful message of Tree Equity and give emerging artists a platform to showcase their craft,” said Sophie Kelly, senior vice president of whiskey at Diageo North America in a press release.

Previous Bulleit initiatives for Tribeca include “Local Bar Sundays,” which encouraged festival goers to patronize local establishments hurt by pandemic restrictions. In 2019, the brand installed a 3D-printed bar.