The Campaign

Australia was in the middle of a mixed drinks revolution, and Bundaberg Rum wasn’t part of it. It was time to get out and meet new people. So we created the ‘Magnificent Mixing Booth’, an interactive, all-playing, all-speaking, mixing machine that took Bundaberg Rum to a whole new crowd. ‘The Magnificent Mixing Booth’ is an ingenious fusion of 21st century holographic technology and 19th century craftsmanship that bought one of the brand’s founding fathers back through time - Frederick Lionel Nott, a fine Victorian gentleman, large of moustache and talent. We positioned him as the world’s first GJ, or ‘Gramophone Jockey’ - a master in the art of mixing, be it music or drinks. Lionel hosted a series of experiential nights dedicated to the art of mixing music and drinks. Programmed with over 300 automated quips and comments, Lionel could interact with drinkers, live performers and DJs, while video projections featuring Lionel kept in sync with the beats. All this, combined with cocktail experts behind the bar showing Bundaberg Rum’s versatility.

Success of the Campaign

The Magnificent Mixing Booth continues to appear at the Top Shelf Sessions all over Australia, putting the Bundaberg brand in front of ten’s of thousands of people in a new way for at least 3 hours at a time. 80% of those reached are within the target audience - an audience nearly impossible to engage with traditional media. In fact, our target themselves have been passing on our message directly though social media. The best measure of response is seen as takings at the bar – Average on-premise sales of Bundaberg Rum have risen by 20-25%.

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

We began engaging our target by inviting them through street and online press to a series of experiential nights called the Bundaberg Top Shelf Sessions across the country. The nights revolved around ‘The Magnificent Mixing Booth’ where L. F Nott appeared as the holographic VJ and master in the art of mixing both music and drinks. He interacted with drinkers, live performers, large video screens and DJs. All this was combined with cocktail experts behind the bar, ready to serve our target drinks mixed with Bundaberg Rum. Our audience then spread the word for us with social media. Lionel hosted a series of experiential nights dedicated to the art of mixing music and drinks. Programmed with over 300 automated quips and comments, Lionel could interact with drinkers, live performers and DJs while video projections featuring Lionel kept in sync with the beats. All this, combined with cocktail experts behind the bar showing Bundaberg Rum’s versatility.