Hennessy taps Ridley Scott for 'epic visual journey' promoting new luxury cognac

Dive Brief:

Hennessy announced via a news release that it has teamed with iconic director Ridley Scott on a new brand film for its Hennessey X.O. cognac, which will be introduced globally next year. The effort is a collaboration with Scott's production company RSA Films, currently celebrating its 50th year, and was developed with agency DDB° Paris.
Titled "Worlds of Greatness," the film will take viewers on an "epic visual journey" that abstractly explores Hennessy X.O.'s seven "taste-scapes," including sweet notes, rising heat, spicy edge, flowing flame, chocolate lull, wood crunches and infinite echo. It is Scott's first commercial in 15 years.
Hennessy is supporting the push with seven 3D ads, created with Foam Studio, that will be released in fall 2018 as preview of the full film. The ads will feature "emblematic tunnels" that embody each of the flavor notes and combine realistic and mythical elements.

Dive Insight:

Scott, renowned for classics like "Blade Runner" and "Alien," brings filmmaking bonafides to Hennessy's latest campaign, which looks to illustrate the complex flavors of its new cognac offering through surreal visual storytelling. The spirits maker is promoting the creative like a movie, teasing the release of "Worlds of Greatness" through videos and a series of immersive 3D ads beforehand.

More marketers are embracing this sort of Hollywood approach to marketing, including by producing longer-form, often pricey brand films. For a fall collaboration with Erdem last year, fast-fashion retailer H&M partnered with "Moulin Rouge!" director Baz Luhrmann on a similarly lush short called "The Secret Life of Flowers," which Luhrmann approached as a "whole movie." "The Secret Life of Flowers" currently has more than 8 million hits on YouTube.

Incorporating 3D experiences into the mix might help Hennessy stoke excitement for the new effort and build out a narrative ahead of the film's release. Younger consumers, who are more tech-savvy than older generations, are attracted to brands that embrace technology and innovation.

Some of those age segments, namely millennials, are helping fuel the high-end spirits market as well. Supplier sales of spirits jumped 4% to $26.2 billion in 2017, according to data from the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States reported in Forbes. Cognac sales grew 13.8% to $1.6 billion.