The Brief

Australia was experiencing a mixed drink revolution, but Bundaberg Rum was still seen as a drink you only mixed with cola and ice. We needed to reposition it as the ultimate mixer by reaching out to a wider, younger, audience and engaging them in a new way.

Describe how the promotion developed from concept to implementation

We turned to one of the brand’s founding fathers and positioned him as the world’s first JG or Gramophone jockey, a master in the art of mixing, be it music or drinks. To transport him through time we created the magnificent Mixing Booth, a fusion of 21st century holographic technology and 19th century craftsmanship. Perched in his booth, Lionel F. Nott hosts a series of experiential nights - The Top Shelf Sessions, dedicated to the art of mixing music and drinks. Lionel interacts with drinkers, live performers and DJs, while themed video projections keep in sync with the beats. All this, combined with cocktail experts behind the bar showing just how versatile Bundaberg Rum can be.

Describe the success of the promotion with both client and consumer including some quantifiable results

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%.

Explain why the method of promotion was most relevant to the product or service

As Bundaberg Rum was seen as tired and only to be mixed with cola, we wanted to get noticed by a new generation. A generation blind to traditional advertising. So we created an on-premise engagement that became part of people’s night out. By taking quirky bits of the brand’s history and dragging them into the present, we mixed Bundy seamlessly into the music, drinks and lives of new drinkers. A promotional mix that took Bundaberg Rum into new territory and put it in front of young audiences for hours at a time. Not just an ad on the wall, it was branding that became relevant right when they were buying their next drink.