Nirali
Mehta
Client: Beam Suntory 2020 Field: Marketing communication & campaign strategy
Oaksmith Gold Whisky
Oaksmith® Gold International Blended Whisky is a first of its kind, truly international whisky blending the best of 3 continents, with essence of Scotland, The United States of America and Japan. The brand and its blend are a celebration of craftsmanship and global collaboration, combining the best of East and West in a beautifully crafted 6-edged bottle. Oaksmith® Gold is slated to be a global brand icon - starting off from India.
The challenge
In India, with laws not allowing open alcohol advertising, brands resort to surrogate advertising. So the brand wanted to come up with a creative idea which not only resisted the usual methods employed to publicise alcohol brands but which engaged with the audience in a relevant and memorable way whilst still conveying the Oaksmith Gold’s value & experience.
The outcome
Design the brands first Influencer marketing communication campaign to help build oaksmith Gold as a preferred choice in the Indian whisky segment. To resonate with the audience and create a new audience I developed a concept and strategy to create an impression highlighting the brands features in order to build an association between the audience and a great experience.
A lot of information and insights were based on secondary research, but for better understanding and digging a bit deeper I used some primary research methods, with the hope of uncovering finer nuances as this was also a very new category for me.
Campaign: CRAFTAILS – taste of craftsmanship
Oaksmith Gold is a premium, crafted whisky from Beam Suntory created by Japanese master blender Shinji Fukuyo. It is not just rare and exquisite blend of east and west, but made with exquisite Japanese craftsmanship to cater especially to India. Thus it is imperative to have a narrative that highlights the beauty of this international yet local, cultural blend made by the best.
Today increasing number of Indian consumers are enjoying drinking as it allows them to savour the experiences. The millennials are open to experimenting with alcohol beverages that taste well and can be mixed well. Cocktails culture is on a rise as it enables social and cultural conversations and storytelling. They are keen to know how things are made and who is behind them expanding the scope of how drinks are consumed and by whom. There is a surge in the popularity of cocktails amongst the millennials. The focus is on quality over quantity. With this campaign we would try use these factors to our advantage.
Objectives:
To increase awareness and strengthen the positioning of Oaksmith Gold as a premium “crafted” whisky made with Japanese craftsmanship, especially created for India.
To reach and connect with the new evolving and discerning customer base in India.
To make Oaksmith Gold a preferred choice of the Indian whisky segment and all cultural conversations and interactions.
Strategy:
Highlight the key component of this unique blend – Craftsmanship.
With “craftails” we were aiming to honor true artistry of varied artist through their tales of craftsmanship, by increasing engagement and encouraging interaction of independent thinkers & artists.
With their vocabulary of craftsmanship - authenticity, skill passion and uniqueness, it would help us recruit new drinkers from the emotionally, culturally charged millennials that resonate with various cultural and stimulating experiences and conversations.
Making Oaksmith Gold more approachable, by catering to the mixology boom. To engage the customers with an experience through the “Craftail Kits” and leverage the resurgence of cocktails amongst the new and old whisky audience.
Execution:
The journey of making something with passion and precision and seeing it come to life is a very rewarding experience for any creator. With “Craftails” (word play on cocktails and tales) we aim at giving the social media audience a taste of true craftsmanship through the stories from the community of artists.
-dedicated post series of a mix of artists, (like mixing a cocktail) but aiming to give an emotional taste by regaling the followers and audience with their craft tales.
-conducting -Live series / IGTV on Oaksmith platform with these artists as a Q n A and a “craftail” Hour.
-artists would invite their following and audience to join them in making a perfect Cocktail with Oaksmith using the “Craftail Kits” making it a symbolic celebration of the craft and artists.
-Roll out of some contest to be held on handles for Oaksmith’s audience to win these “craftail kits”, thereby experiencing the flavours and getting to know the brand better. -Showcase a series of images with focus on behind the scenes of various artists creating what they do best, with Oaksmith in the background. Glimse of making / performing/ creating their craft.
Influencer profile
Any craft is best appreciated and understood by those who themselves excel in one or many. What better way to bring forward the skill and craftsmanship from the plethora of new age talent that exist in our country. From music, to art to theater etc. Those who make craft through their hands.
