THE MACALLAN EXPERIENCE

TitleTHE MACALLAN EXPERIENCE
BrandTHE MACALLAN
Product / ServiceTHE MACALLAN
CategoryA01. Fast Moving Consumer Goods
EntrantREBEL AND SOUL Singapore, SINGAPORE
Idea Creation REBEL AND SOUL Singapore, SINGAPORE
Production REBEL AND SOUL Singapore, SINGAPORE
Production 2 HELLOFUTURE.TV Sydney, AUSTRALIA
Post Production REBEL AND SOUL Singapore, SINGAPORE
Post Production 2 HELLOFUTURE.TV Sydney, AUSTRALIA

Credits

Name Company Position
Kristy Castleton Rebel and Soul Pte Ltd CEO / Founder
Malati Singh Rebel and Soul Pte Ltd Experience Director
Sharon Lewis Rebel and Soul Pte Ltd Marketing & Strategy Director
Nur Astuti Rebel and Soul Pte Ltd Experience Manager
Waldo Zuniga Rebel and Soul Pte Ltd Graphic Designer
Natasha Shamash Rebel and Soul Pte Ltd Business Development & Partnerships Manager
Elliot Barrat Elliot James Pte Ltd Managing Director
Laura Sevin Elliot James Pte Ltd Architect / Interior Designer
Christina Voss Elliot James Pte Ltd Architect / Interior Designer
Emily Bull Hellofuture.tv Managing Director / Executive
Gemma Lee Freelance Director
Pablo Jeffress Hellofuture.tv Creative Director
Siobhan Dampney Hellofuture.tv Executive Producer
Simon Ozolins ACS Freelance Director Of Photography - Film
Chris Bryan Freelance Underwater Cinematography - Film
Michael Price Freelance Production Designer - Film
Ali Griffiths Freelance Production Designer - Film
Simon Njoo ASE Freelance Editor - Film
Marcus Timpson Freelance Post Production - Film
Elliot Goodman The Goodman Brothers Post Production
Haydn Walker Song Zu Composer
Ben Peace Wounded Buffalo Sound Studios Sound Engineer
Pat Mileto Futurelabs Managing Director
Elias Proctor Futurelabs Creative Director
Andy Kennard AV Intelligence Chief Executive Officer
Jeremie Lambert AV Intelligence Product Specialist
Jaymi McManus Mischief Makers Founder & Director
Javier Soler Esplugues Javier 3D Animator
Diederik van Middelkoop Amp.Amsterdam Creative Director
Bertus Pelser Amp.Amsterdam Composer
Sindy Kuipers Amp.Amsterdam Studio & Project Manager
Karen Ng Kingsmen Exhibits Pte Ltd Director, Strategic Accounts
Cheuk Hui Siu Kingsmen Exhibits Pte Ltd Operations Manager
Cheryl Kong Kingsmen Exhibits Pte Ltd Manager, Operations
Katherine Ong Kingsmen Exhibits Pte Ltd Assistant Manager, Account Service
Clarisse Ang I_Possible Pte Ltd General Manager
Nicholas Goh I_Possible Pte Ltd Account Manager
Raecious Yeap I_Possible Pte Ltd Project Manager
Stephanie Soh I_Possible Pte Ltd Project Manager
Poh Yee . I_Possible Pte Ltd Account Servicing
B. Jane Cowie Art Glass Solutions Glass Artist
Calvin Yap Archangeli Pte Ltd Sales Designer
Alan Kam Archangeli Pte Ltd Sales Designer
Dafve Goh Miracle Concept Pte Ltd Sales / Project Manager
Wendy Lee Miracle Concept Pte Ltd Asst Project Manager
William Ng Linearverve Technical Director

Why is this work relevant for Brand Experience & Activation?

This entry details a physical brand experience, designed, produced and activated during one of the most challenging periods of recent history. The Singapore activation, the first in an Asian tour, was built at the iconic Raffles Hotel. The design of the six zone space, each zone providing a unique consumer brand experience, not only had to entice our audience but meet the strict heritage build criteria set by the venue. The results show brand affinity & commercial success for the experience, and commercial uplift of the brand sales at Raffles Hotel. Consequently, the experience has been extended by 3 months.

Background

Client Brief: ‘Develop an experiential marketing program to position The Macallan as the ultimate luxury spirit brand in Asia with the next generation (25-40 year old male & females who favour premium fine wine and spirits). Deliver an unforgettable experience that stays true to the brand heritage and brand ethos ‘Make the call’ (bold decision making). Client Objectives: Awareness - of The Macallan portfolio and what sets it apart. Consideration – intrigue in a way that will encourage the audiences to want to learn more and take action e.g. sign up to the brand’s mailing list Portability – the marketing and event messaging must cross Asian cultures. Design a marketing and event toolkit to act as a blueprint for each country. Original budget: $160k for creative design & toolkit, $1m - interactive storytelling mediums. Scale: Up to 6 Asian markets Pre Covid KPI: 8000 pax per market

Describe the creative idea (20% of vote)

The Macallan brand is defined through luxury, bravery and bold decision making. There are pivotal ‘calls’ that shaped the brand’s history. For example, their decision to craft their own casks; a rare and expensive way to produce whisky. Their global message is Make the Call: Dare to go where others haven’t, make bold decisions and reap the rewards. Challenge: Asking 6 unique Asian cultures (China, Taiwan, HK, Singapore, Vietnam, Japan) whose 25-40 year old male / female audience don’t drink whisky, to make a bold call, in a luxury way, with a less mainstream whisky brand. The idea: ‘Whisky Worthy Stories’: An interactive, multisensory short film to hero true stories of inspiring Asians who made the call. The film's narrative guides the audience to savour two exceptional whiskies, the sensory technology enhances the entire experience.The cinema is one of seven zones that brings the brand’s bold decision making to life.

Describe the strategy (20% of vote)

How do you entice 25-40 year old non-whisky drinkers to taste whisky? Immerse them in a world they aspire to be associated with and inspire them with ‘Whisky Worthy Stories’. Our audience over-indexed on learning and technology, directing us to create a smart sensory film that guided our audience in the art of whisky tasting. The film is set in a stunning bar, a replica of which guests can have a drink in when they exit the purpose built scent release and sound technology cinema. Our host, who breaks the 4th wall to engage with the audience is Erin, the Scottish Mixologist. She artfully goes between insightful whisky ‘know hows’ and intriguing conversations with two Asian heroes who each tell their true Whisky Worthy Story. Each story is perfectly paired with a stunning whisky from The Macallan and the brand message; bold decisions can lead to pursuing something greater.

Describe the execution (30% of vote)

A 4750sqft physical ticketed brand & retail experience concept. Design of seven zones centred on inspiring ‘whisky worthy stories’. Marketing and event toolkit and assets to support awareness and ticket sales. Zones: -Infinity mirror effect cask tunnel to represent the 350k sleeping casks in Scotland -Indoor cold flame technology cask experience to show the 1metre high flames that sear the casks -Interactive Kinetic art installation: 89 copper spheres representing the copper stills that dance to a soundscape to form shapes that tell 6 brand stories. -Product display: Kintsugi stone and glass plinths showcasing bottles worth 6 figures -Luxury cinema where guests ‘taste the stories’ with 2 Macallan whiskies during a 12 minute film. Scent technology releases two scents to enhance each whisky tasting. Neuroscience based sound techniques help guests to ‘feel’ the story: ASMR, Infrasound, Directional, 3D. -Gravity defying bar design -Retail zone with hot scented wax gift wrap ritual

List the results (30% of vote)

Despite hundreds of Covid challenges along the way, our whisky worthy story experience is live at Raffles Hotel Singapore now. The results for the first 9 weeks: 4200 consumers tasted the Whisky Worthy Stories. 157% Sign up of new whisky drinkers vs target. (Actual: 4,200 new recruits vs target of 2,667. Original target of 8,000 for a 24 pax cinema which had to be reduced to 8 pax cinema due to Covid) $1m+ Revenue (ticket and product sales) $35% of guests purchased product at the Experience $3.1m Earned PR 50,000 + Unique website visitors The profits from the cinematic experience supports the charity started by one of our true Asian heroes featured in the film to help the blind in Mongolia. To date over $124,000 has been raised. The results have been so strong that The Macallan have just extended the Singapore Experience for another 3 months.

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