Bacardi unleashes ‘untameable’ ad campaign

Bacardi's new global marketing campaign, ‘Bacardi Untameable Since 1862’, comprising television, digital and print advertising, tells the stories behind the rum brand’s origins in Cuba.

The ads will feature headlines such as: We Remember Prohibition – It was a Blast; Some Men are Kicked Out of Bars – Others are Kicked Out of Countries; and Earthquakes, Fire, Exile, Prohibition – Sorry Fate, You Picked the Wrong Family. They offer snapshots of the Bacardi history during prohibition, exile from Cuba, and showcase how the Bacardí family had the spirit to overcome earthquakes, fire, war and revolution—none of which could defeat their spirit, because “True Passion Can’t Be Tamed”.

The campaign is designed to engage millennial consumers to pursue their passions no matter what—much like the Bacardí family did—encouraging camaraderie and strength of character.

The campaign will be supported by 30-, 60-, and 120-second TV advertisements, as well as robust outdoor billboard, print and digital executions. The television spots—named Procession, because of the frame-by-frame timeline and sequence of events viewers experience—were directed by award-winning Dante Ariola, star actor Jordi Mollà and has voiceover of actor Jason Isaacs. The ads, filmed on location at the UNESCO World Heritage site of Ouro Preto, Brazil, are highly stylized and have a blockbuster movie feel. The ads exude a realism that commands attention.

“The campaign pays tribute to the brand’s enduring popularity, continuing ingenuity and connects with consumers as it inspires them to ignite the bold, ‘Irrepressible Spirit’ within us all,” said Dmitry Ivanov, senior global category director of rums for Bacardi.

“This campaign ushers in a new era for Bacardi rum, with a deeper focus on its provenance.”

The portfolio of light and dark rums globally will be united under one creative look and feel. A new logo, inspired by hand-drawn designs for the Bacardi bat from the early 1900s, stays true to the integrity of the original symbol, which in Cuban and Spanish heritage represents good luck, good fortune and family unity. The Barcardi word mark has also been updated, influenced by the Cuban Art Deco style from the late 1920s to early 1930s. An example of this Art Deco style is the former Bacardi sales office in Havana known as El Edificio Bacardí (The Bacardí Building). To this day, the 11-story building remains crowned by a Bacardi bronze bat and emblazed with the Art Deco stylized typeface.

“Bacardi Untameable Since 1862” launched in the US and Mexico on November 20, and will launch in India and Australia in December, followed by other markets in spring 2014.

25 November 2013 - Felicity Murray The Drinks Report, editor