Ballantine’s, the world’s No 2 Scotch whisky and part of the Pernod Ricard family of brands, has appointed M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment to create and deliver a major global marketing campaign in golf after a competitive pitch process.
Ballantine’s has a long-standing association with golf dating back to 1960, and will be building on this proud heritage in its next phase of development within the sport.
M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment’s winning idea was inspired by the ‘Stay True’ brand positioning created for Ballantine’s by M&C Saatchi advertising, which launched in 2013. Guided by the brand’s attributes of authenticity, conviviality and self-expression, it will be brought to life through a combination of digital and experiential platforms, supported by a strategic sponsorship programme and global PR and social media campaigns.
Focusing on Ballantine’s 17 Year Old, Ballantine’s 21 Year Old and Ballantine’s 30 Year Old whiskies and targeting key international markets including Korea, China and Taiwan, the new campaign will launch in summer 2014.
The concept will be showcased at Ballantine’s sponsored European Tour events including the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open in July and the BMW Masters in Shanghai at the end of October, and will also involve a major talent endorsement.
Peter Moore, Global Brand Director for Ballantine’s said: “We were struck by the strategic insight, creative flair and integrated thinking demonstrated by M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment’s approach. This, coupled with the agency’s extensive experience working with talent at the top level of international golf, makes it the ideal partner to help us to deliver a new and innovative strategy that will be fundamental to the driving the growth of the brand in the coming years”.
Steve Martin, CEO, M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment added: “Ballantine’s has a phenomenal heritage in golf so the challenge was to create a concept that could develop the brand within the golf territory whilst acknowledging its history in the sport. We combined our experience in producing highly-engaging, content-led global campaigns with our approach of brutal simplicity to create an innovative, flexible and integrated communications platform. We’re delighted to be in a position to work with Ballantine’s as it enters an exciting new era in its involvement in golf”.
M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment is also responsible for the current global music partnership between Ballantine’s Finest and the world’s most credible music streaming platform, Boiler Room. The campaign, known as ‘Stay True Journeys’, seeks to unearth the Stay True stories of the world’s most vibrant music scenes and has so far visited Mexico City and will take place in Santiago, Chile in mid-May.
Ballantine’s www.ballantines.com/en
M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment http://sportandentertainment.mcsaatchi.com