With the flurry of good, bad and crazy that comes with the holiday season, we’re ready to raise a glass and celebrate getting back to normal! Recently, our eyes have been catching Maker’s Mark Whisky ads that make us want to pour a glass of this good ol’ southern charm in a bottle.
Maker’s Mark has been around since the 1950′s, where it was launched in Loretto, Kentucky by Bill Samuels Sr., who passed the torch to his son who carried it until last year, when ‘junior’ retired and passed the company down to his son, Rob Samuels. While it’s pure speculation on our part, someone over there must have been chomping at the bit to release a new marketing campaign to bring this southern favorite into a growing, digital era.
Armed with a new website that seems well-suited for touch devices, a mobile app (whisky will not pour out of your phone – we tried), downloadable wallpapers and commercials recently exploding on Hulu, they’ve certainly grabbed our attention have turned our heads. It was reported in 2011 their new ad campaign would cost “seven digits”, the priciest promotional blitz in the company’s 50 year history. And the price tag shouldn’t come as much of a surprise when you recognize you’re hearing Jimmy Fallon‘s voice on the commercials – who sounds as smooth as…well, fine whisky. Their print ads are sharp, witty and several feature tailored pitches depending on placement (an L.A. billboard reads “Handcrafted. Just like everyone else in L.A.”).
Their risky approach hasn’t come without some controversy though. In 2011, a seventh grader’s essay was featured on Media Literacy Project’s website as the winner of the 2011 Bad Ad Contest. The author, Kai Williams, found one print ad especially offensive and chauvinistic. The ad donned the words “Your bourbon has a GREAT BODY and a fine character. I WISH the same could be said for my GIRLFRIEND.” A bad decision or a strategic one to get people talking? Who knows…
The ads generally feature their sexy bottle design, emphasizing the hot, red signature wax dripping down the neck of the bottle. Each ad delivers that same, basic look, and then runs with a different theme from surviving a bear attack, posing for a photo shoot and even a hip-hop / music vibe. And, the research wasn’t exactly extensive, the majority of the ads we saw with hands holding that bottle were female – dipping that gorgeous bottle’s neck in that hot, red wax…just sayin. The ice cubes are the most gorgeous ice cubes we’ve ever seen. And when they start pouring the whisky over ice, I can honestly say that I not only feel compelled to purchase a bottle, but I want to dive right into that glass head first…and I’m not even much of a drinker.
Their advertising approach in the 80′s and 90′s wasn’t nearly as fabulous – very word-heavy and typical of the stereotypes one may associate with “whisky” and “Kentucky”. However, their almost 1-year-old ad campaign is delivering new vigor for their loyal old timers while introducing the brand to a younger consumer, reportedly targeting 25 to 49 year old men. Many other liquor manufacturers have been selling sex for years, but it’s the first time I can remember seeing whisky “sexy and center-stage” while still delivering their “handcrafted” and “tradition” message. If you listen to the words in their ads compared to what you’re actually seeing, they’re selling two different ideas at same time, brilliantly reeling in a broad demographic.
All-in-all, they’ve taken a bold approach and made a considerable investment to get their company noticed – and even with some small blips on the “shame-on-you-radar”, they don’t show any signs of stopping. The biggest negative we have with their blossoming media campaign was found on their fancy new website, where they referenced their web developers as “geeks”. For now, we’ll offer forgiveness (this time) and like the Progressive commercials that feature our favorite television diva, Flo, we’re excited to see what’s next for Maker’s Mark!
Ant Smasher
In the last of our four-part series of posters we created for 
Most local Rocky Horror Picture Show performance groups usually have some sort of (painless, voluntary, but still slightly humiliating) initiation for newcomers, or virgins. A cast member will typically work the line outside of the theatre before the show or call for volunteers before the film begins to break the ice. In this case, the cast usually paints a red “V” with lipstick on the forehead of newcomers and we wanted to create a poster that would grab attention and showcase that memorable experience.
Are you always on the go, but want to stay connected to your company’s web stats? We’re reviewing our favorite 
In the second of a four-part series of posters we created for LDOD, we worked with our great friend at 
Besides having a creep-factor of 10 for me, 
Lips Down on Dixie (LDOD) is a performance group that has been doing the Plaza’s weekly Friday night, midnight showing of 
