Southern Comfort is to run a high-profile ad campaign across Christmas and the New Year. Using the strapline ‘A Warm Southern Welcome to 2017’, the campaign marks the first above-the-line support for the brand since its move to UK distribution by Hi-Spirits earlier this year.
The out-of-home campaign leverages a light hearted and comfortable-yet-confident brand tone of voice to maximise awareness and consideration of Southern Comfort over the festive season. Developed by creative agency Kemosabe, the campaign will run across key cities in the UK including London, Manchester and Glasgow with further media placements in Time Out and Metro.
The message will be seen in iconic spots including the bright lights of Piccadilly Circus’s digital wall, panels across the TFL London Underground and Bus Network and high impact digital screens at Manchester Printworks and St. Enoch, Glasgow.
The output includes a combination of out of home media executions, paid and organic social media and ‘surprise and delight’ branded live events that bring the Southern Comfort #SouthernWelcome proposition to life for those travelling and preparing for Christmas and New Year Celebrations with their friends and family. The message is maximised with increased visibility at the point of purchase, through collaboration with the brand’s key trade partners in both the off-trade and on-trade.
Amanda Watkins, Hi-Spirits marketing director, said: “This campaign showcases how serious we are about taking the Southern Comfort brand to the next level in the UK market. We are focusing on dialling up our New Orleans heritage, and our impactful festive campaign is aimed at helping consumers move out of a turbulent year and into a year of new opportunities in true New Orleans style.”
Southern Comfort has previously been revered for the brand’s disruptive TV campaigns, such as ‘Beach Guy’ and ‘Young Gun’. This campaign is a change in direction, focused on driving more authentic and meaningful connections with target consumers, and collaborating with the retailers, bars and pubs that support the brand.
Watkins added: “We all know what a strange and at times turbulent year 2016 has been and Southern Comfort wants to bring this to light in such a way that would put a smile on people’s faces this festive season. Working with the team Kemosabe, we have been able to bring a unique and refreshing approach from a New Year angle that avoids some of the clutter from the abundance of Christmas ideas by other brands. We loved the campaign so much we decided to take it beyond London and into key cities such as Birmingham, Newcastle and Bristol.”
BACKGROUND:
Southern Comfort:
- Southern Comfort is stocked in 95% of UK on-trade outlets and in all multiple grocers
- In 1874, M.W. Heron took harsh whiskeys of the time and mixed them with his own blend of fruit and spices to create a whiskey that could be enjoyable comfortably.
- Influenced by the soulful and vibrant spirit of New Orleans, Southern Comfort has carried on as one of America’s oldest and most iconic Whiskey brands for over 140 years.
- The brand has long been known for its drinks versatility and use within a variety of classic cocktails.
- Hi-Spirits has been responsible for the brand in the UK market since it was acquired by Sazerac in April 2016.
