MAKER'S MARK - JFK GTR
REDEFINING CULTURAL CONNECTIONS OF A LIQUID AND THE CITIES IT WAS INSPIRED BY.
Where better to build a global icon than in an international airport?
Known as the World’s First Whisky Series, the Maker’s Mark Wood Finishing Series embraces the character, essence and experience of the most enchanting cities – New York, Singapore, Frankfurt and Sydney. Each bottle encapsulates the flavours of the city through an innovative wood stave-finishing technique, enhancing the well-loved flavours of an iconic Kentucky bourbon. The re-launch of the Travel Retail Exclusive offered an opportunity to amplify the series launch in Terminal 4 John F. Kennedy Airport, NY through a refreshed messaging strategy and captivating activation space.
GTR Activations | Brand Development | Creative Strategy | Brand Communication | Messaging Hierarchy | Brand Activation | Visual Identity | Category Innovation
The Challenge
Our challenge was to step away from the leveraging the brand’s Tastemaker personalities and find new ways of building emotional resonance with shoppers through updated messaging and visual identity.
The APPROACH
It was our job to bring the iconic stories of the city and Maker’s Mark to life through clear messaging, distinctive designs and an engaging activation space. A streamlined approach to successfully launch the Wood Finishing Series into the Travel Retail environment.
Simplified messaging creates impact
Historically, the Wood Finishing Series featured many messages, which left consumers feeling lost and unable to determine the hero stories of the brand. We streamlined these stories to engage and educate shoppers at each stage of the consumer path to purchase.
Our storytelling pillars offered flexibility across city and market while ensuring shoppers left with three key takeaways:
Location – The important connection to the cities that helped create the series
Liquid Credential – An understanding of the impact the wood-finishing process had on the flavour profile of each liquid.
Exclusivity – A limited edition series, only available in exclusive airports
Armed with our key consumer takeaways and clear educational stories, we developed a clear messaging hierarchy to offer teams an activation roadmap designed to drive engagement, education and sales through POS.
Distinct yet flexible designs
It was important to find the visual balance between the cities that inspired the liquid and the wood stave-finishing process that created the unique flavour profiles. We landed on a strong visuality and drinks branding that not only represented the ten wooden staves that created each liquid but also illustrated the iconic skylines and buildings of each city.
Our skyline approach allowed us to create a consistent and distinguishable key visual that provided flexibility for other locations, with a quick switch of the Empire State to the Sydney Opera House.
The wooden texture offered a beautiful backdrop for bold messaging and graphics to be applied to – ensuring that any iconography and brand elements were easily recognisable.
Bringing it all together – The Activation Space
The JFK Terminal 4 space was the ultimate expression of our refreshed creative strategy, bringing the essence of the Maker’s Mark Wood Finishing Series to life. Designed to captivate and engage, the space seamlessly blended our bold visuals, immersive storytelling, and interactive elements to celebrate both the exclusivity of the series and its connection to iconic global cities. From the striking skyline-inspired graphics to the warm, wood-finished textures, every detail reinforced the brand’s heritage while inviting travellers to discover the craftsmanship behind the NYC series specifically.
This activation not only redefined the consumer experience but also set a new benchmark in Travel Retail for the series for future launches, leaving a lasting impression on whisky enthusiasts from around the world.
The wonder
[It was our job to bring the iconic stories of the city and Maker’s Mark to life through clear messaging, distinctive designs and an engaging activation space. A streamlined approach to successfully launch the Wood Finishing Series into the Travel Retail environment.]
Get in touch with us today!
As a creative drinks agency, we’re here to help. If you’re looking for support to develop a fresh GTR activation and strategy for your drinks brand, then please reach out to a member of our team. We’d love to chat!