Background

Black and White whisky in India prides itself of pairing well with food, highlighting its smooth and rich liquid. But consumers weren’t making this connection with the brand. To fortify this attribute, the brand wanted to create a limited-edition pack in partnership with the famous chef, Heston Blumenthal. He is known for his magical gastronomical creations that defy logic, convention, and reality. An enigma in all senses of the word, his spirit would bring an intriguing layer to this limited edition. While competitors were focusing on individual journeys and creating a lifestyle, this limited-edition was developed on the platform of creating connections, giving consumers fun, and interesting experiences that they can share and drive that connection. So, we needed to develop a platform that opened Heston’s magical world and enabled connections for our consumers.

Describe the creative idea (40% of vote)

We started by understanding what it took to develop a successful limited-edition pack – learning from global best practices and competitors. Our limited edition needed to clearly bring the strategic platform to life; that B&W is a whisky best paired with food. It needed to take consumers on the journey, giving them access to Heston’s world and the workings of his maverick mind. And use the packaging to springboard a bigger idea and activations. Understanding that the consumer is looking for meaningful connections and shared experiences and that they’re looking for brands that fit into their lifestyle and rituals, we needed to create something for them that was equally exploratory on pack as well as off.

Describe the execution (40% of vote)

Our design celebrates the magical world of Heston Blumenthal through a fantastical diaspora, bringing the worlds of whisky and food together in perfect harmony. The pack is a cookbook from Heston’s archives, filled with his interesting notes, inspirations, corrections, and improvisations. It opens a door to the workings of his mind, with the Scottish Terriers along for the journey. The novelty of the design like a book spine gave the IBC’s great stand out and tiling on shelf. The simplicity of colour and intricacy of the recipes and other illustrative details balanced perfectly to drive the premium and desirability of this pack.

List the results (20% of vote)

On social media, the campaign has been very successful with over 22 million users reached to date and we are engaging with some of India's most prominent influencers to reach even further. The Heston Blumenthal x Black and White pack really stood out and disrupted shelves across retail formats in select states in India and the results speak for themselves. A 3% increase in market share, revenue growth of 50%, and more than 1500 unique IP scans of the QR code.