The Campaign

In pushing 42Below Vodka toward Chinese presence, our client’s challenge was to foster a true and enduring connection with the elite creative community of cultural influencers within the world of film. Focusing on a decidedly brand-shy target, our unique strategy was a delicate balancing act of stealth brand presence, the pursuit of truly inspired friendships and the setup of a compelling blank canvass in the form of dreams. Titled “ONEDREAMRUSH,” the project brought together 42 hand-picked internationally celebrated filmmakers to produce 42 films on the interpretation of dreams to debut at the CHINE NATIONAL FILM MUSEUM Museum in Beijing. Each film being 42 seconds long. Hence the name of our platform, 42x42. From operating within a strict Chinese social structure to gaining the trust of the new avant-garde to generating an extraordinary amount of faith from the client, this wildly successful campaign was about pure creativity and the power of relationships.

Success of the Campaign

ONEDREAMRUSH became the active ingredient in a vast marketing cocktail. To crack China, we launched a popular online competition for emerging Chinese directors to become one of the 42 contributing artists, engaging viewers through global social networks and a content-rich website. Experiential executions were front and center with 30 parties stretching from China to the New York Film Society and Barney’s New York, all flooded with stunning branded collateral including 42 one-of-a-kind movie posters for each director. An artfully disruptive print and outdoor campaign was launched, leading to the gala debut of ONEDREAMRUSH at the China National Film Museum in Beijing. Slack-jawed attendees immediately spread buzz culminating in a last-minute invite to screen at the main venue of the 62nd Cannes Film Festival. This date was synchronized with the announcement of our Chinese competition winner at a second gala event in Beijing with interviews and events simulcast live to attendees at both locations.

Describe how the campaign/entry was launched and executed across each channel in the order of implementation.

The 42x42 film project was a turning point for 42Below. With a limited total budget, we far exceeded the clients charge to seed a broad and resonant brand presence through unconventional, high- impact methods. We locked-in a genuine affinity and trust with tastemakers and influencers of the creative community like David Lynch and Harmony Korine, making each artist a powerful brand ambassador for 42Below. Our footprint in the Chinese market is cemented with over 300 million viewers on CCTV and CCTV6 along with 300 national finalists from the online competition and the distinction of being the first collection of foreign works in a Chinese official museum. Also the first implicitly branded content ever screened at the Cannes Film Festival, ONEDREAMRUSH organically generated extensive, ongoing broadcast and editorial coverage from countless publications including China Vogue, Esquire, NYMag.com, US Weekly, Variety and Filmmaker.com. ROI has shot deep into the millions.