The Macallan takes flight with first-ever global ad campaign

Dive Brief:

Single malt whisky brand The Macallan is debuting its first-ever global ad campaign, which will run across TV, cinema and digital channels, according to a news release provided to Marketing Dive.
The campaign features a 90-second hero film titled "Make The Call," created by J. Walter Thompson London, directed by Juriaan Booji and filmed by John Mathieson, an Oscar-nominated cinematographer known for the films "Gladiator" and “X-Men: First Class."
The video carries the tagline, "Would you risk falling for the chance to fly?" It depicts a man jumping off a cliff and transforming into a bird as he falls to the ground.

Dive Insight:

The Macallan is striving to build its brand image and target younger consumers with its new fantastical and highly visual campaign. The tagline and overall messaging focused on encouraging people to take a chance a chance and step outside their comfort zone could resonate with millennials, who are known for being adventurous and are likely to seek out unique experiences.

Millennials are also drinking more spirits than older generations and are more likely to spend more on top-shelf alcohol. Scotch whisky like The Macallan broke an export record in 2017, increasing 8.9% in value and 1.6% in volume over 2016, according to Scotch Whisky Association data cited by Forbes. More expensive single malt Scotch whisky accounted for 27% of the total export market. The U.S. is the biggest market for Scotch whisky exports.

More spirits brands are investing in highly produced, Hollywood-esque video campaigns to build brand awareness and draw attention from younger drinkers. The Macallan's hero video featuring the work of an Oscar-nominated cinematographer and high-tech graphics is in line with that trend. Cognac brand Hennessey recently teamed up with iconic director Ridley Scott on a brand film for its Hennessy X.O. product.

Video is also a key format for reaching millennials. Eighty-five percent of millennials say they've purchased a product or service after watching a video, Brightcove's "2018 Video Marketing Survey" revealed. Nearly a third of millennials also find video to be the most memorable form of content, and 66% say they've engaged with a brand after watching a video on social media.