Dive Brief:

• Maker’s Mark, a bourbon brand owned by Suntory Global Spirits, this week launched a new global multichannel campaign titled “Perfectly Unreasonable”, according to a press release.
• The brand push celebrates the extra effort people put into something to make it great. It is the first campaign for the bourbon brand by creative agency Carmichael Lynch. Footage was shot by Swedish director Marcus Söderlund.
• The campaign made its U.S. premier during prime time on NBC over the Presidents Day weekend and will roll out in key global markets throughout the year. In addition to social media, television, streaming and digital activations, the brand is integrating with several productions featuring comedian Seth Meyers.

Dive Insight:

Maker’s Mark is appealing to hard work and passion in its new global campaign. “Perfectly Unreasonable” is a sprawling effort which praises what one will do to create a good product and serves as an appeal to global bourbon drinkers. The campaign comes as the American whiskey market finds itself facing a potential trade war, which could impact sales and price.

At the center of the campaign is a 60-second hero film. It follows a man who harvests and transports a block of ice in order to make the perfect ice cubes for his glass of Maker’s Mark. During the journey, he receives odd looks and encounters setbacks before returning home. The campaign will use 30-, 15- and six-second versions to extend its reach across various platforms.

The campaign’s integrations with “Late Night with Seth Meyers” and podcasts “The Lonely Island and Seth Meyers” and “Family Trips with the Meyers Brothers” come as brands continue to engage with pop culture. Similarly, the campaign launch during NBC’s “SNL 50” programming last weekend demonstrated how brands are seeking out mass-audience cultural moments beyond the Super Bowl.

Suntory posted a year-over-year revenue increase of 6.6% during its fiscal 2024 first half, hitting 1.649 trillion yen (approximately $10.5 billion), according to a financial statement. The company has been investing in marketing its products to U.S. consumers. For example, the company recently launched a football-themed campaign surrounding its Jim Beam brand. The campaign, which featured comedian Keegan-Michael Key, was meant to help disappointed football fans deal with their grief during the NFL playoffs.

The U.S. bourbon market has seen a decline in recent years, with U.S. whiskey sales dropping 1.2% in 2023. This dip comes after a sales boom during the COVID-19 pandemic. An expected trade war is expected to hurt the market as major importers such as India gear up to place tariffs on American whiskey in April.