Bacardi is targeting millennial consumers with a new global campaign celebrating individuals with the “cojones” to “take the stage” and make themselves heard.
It marks a departure from the rum brand’s previous marketing push around its heritage, with a campaign entitled ‘Untameable since 1862’.
A new TV ad, called ‘The Truck’, attempts to show the world from the perspective of millennials, “capturing the energy of their life” as they embark on a cross-country journey for the ultimate house-party.
The campaign – the first to launch since Bacardi handed its ad and media agency accounts to BBDO and OMD respectively – introduces the new tagline, ‘There’s nothing in the way’.
Bacardi’s North America chief marketing officer Mauricio Vergara unveiled the campaign at last month’s Festival of Media LatAm 2015 (FOMLA) in Miami.
He commented today: “We want to fuel that modern-day hustle. Our heritage and history is very important to us, and we wanted to create something where consumers feel like we can be part of their story and they can be part of ours. That’s why the ad isn’t overly stylised or overtly ad-like.
“It’s an exciting time for the brand. We have been bold with the structural changes we’ve made and we’re going to be bold with our creative choices. The stakes are high and we are in this to win.”
Speaking exclusively to M&M Global at FOMLA, Vergara said marketers needed to “change their mind-set completely” and understand brands have entered a new era of conversation with consumers.
“There are some risks that we need to take – we are all learning about the new media. As brands, we have the responsibility to define what marketing is going to look like for the new generations,” he said.
“We’re actually starting by briefing the media agency or the content partners. ‘This is a story I want to tell, what are the channels and platforms to deliver my message?’ And then go to the creative people, and say, ‘These are the assets and formats I need to deliver,’ so it’s completely the other way around.”
Watch the full interview below:
Festival of Media LatAm 2015 was treated to an exclusive, with Bacardi’s recently appointed North America CMO Mauricio Vergara outlining the rum brand’s new global marketing campaign.
