The Race to Turn F1’s Valtteri Bottas into a Lo-Fi Comedy Icon

“Great racing = fast. Great whiskey = slow.”

Insightful words from Finnish F1 driver, Valtteri Bottas. He’s been a really good sport as the meme-worthy face of WhistlePig Whiskey’s latest campaign with OATH Gin – the brand he owns with his cyclist wife, Tiffany Cromwell.

Above: Whistlepig x OATH Gin  'Bo-Talks'

Production company, &Friends, have wholeheartedly embraced lo-fi comedy in the pair of films, complete with double-exposed frames, deadpan delivery, and even a sensual sniff and slap of a whiskey barrel. Between the TED Talks parody and the country karaoke singalong alongside Tiffany – which is just the right amount of off-beat – the campaign’s absurdity is sure to amuse.

Above: Whistlepig x OATH Gin  'Whiskey v. Gin'

To find out if it was as much fun behind the scenes, LBB’s Zara Naseer caught up with &Friends creative director, Harry Woulds, discussing the rise of lo-fi, the demands of celebrity schedules, and why Valtteri and WhistlePig are a match made in heaven.

LBB> What was the initial brief from WhistlePig?

Harry> WhistlePig came to us with a bold vision: launching their latest collaboration with OATH Gin, fronted by none other than F1 legend Valtteri Bottas and his partner, Australian Olympic cyclist Tiffany Cromwell.

They had a few comedy scripts in the mix – developed with a scriptwriter – and a tight shooting window based on Valtteri’s availability which also required shooting in his hometown of Monaco. Our job was to take what they had and make it sing.

LBB> How did you develop the concept from there?

Harry> We pulled out two ideas from the mix, sharpened the scripts, punched up the jokes, and made sure everything was as tight as possible for the short runtimes.

Working closely with WhistlePig, we evolved the creative into something that leaned into Valtteri’s dry wit, turning him into both an inspirational speaker and an unlikely karaoke superstar (a nod to Finland’s favourite pastime).

The goal was to balance structured comedy with moments that felt spontaneous and effortless, all while making sure we didn’t overstretch the shoot day.

LBB> You opted to seize on the moment lo-fi aesthetics are having right now – why was that the right choice for this campaign?

Harry> In an industry obsessed with polish, there’s something refreshing about the raw, unfiltered energy of lo-fi. It’s not just an approach that allows for tighter timelines and production budgets – it’s a creative choice that audiences are more than ready for.

People connect with content that feels immediate and unpretentious, as long as it delivers on substance. If the idea is strong, it doesn’t need layers of gloss. It just needs to be honest, engaging, and fun!

Plus, stripping back the production let Valtteri’s authentic humour – and, frankly, his wonderfully weird charisma – shine through. And that was the real magic.

LBB> Were you inspired by any particular references?

Harry> We pulled from a mix of visual and comedic influences for these two films.

For the karaoke spot, we looked at some brilliantly deadpan performances in ads, especially from Finland and Sweden, where the humour has that perfect mix of dry and awkward. It was a natural fit for Valtteri’s delivery.

For Bo-Talks, TED Talks were the obvious reference, but the real inspiration came from Tom Cruise’s performance as Frank T.J. Mackey in 'Magnolia'. That overzealous, almost cult-leader energy applied to something totally offbeat was exactly the vibe we wanted.

LBB> Tell us what it was like working with Valtteri Bottas! What was the collaborative process like? Did he require much direction, or did you let him do his thing?

Harry> Valtteri has this brilliantly dry sense of humour and an effortless charisma. Plus, he’s got some experience in front of the camera, so he came in with his usual charm and calm energy and just went for it.

Given his packed schedule, we spent a little time with the scripts beforehand, and a quick briefing on the day was all he needed to hit the right beats. He didn’t require much direction at all – he’s got natural comedy chops and was more than happy to roll with anything we threw at him in the moment.

I guess when you’ve spent most of your life flying around F1 tracks at 300km/h, doing some slightly ridiculous stuff on camera must feel like a walk in the park.

LBB> How did you cohesively marry Valtteri’s personal brand with WhistlePig’s?

Harry> WhistlePig is a brand that doesn’t take itself too seriously – they’re bold, fun, and totally up for going off-piste with their content. That gave us a lot of creative freedom to lean into the weird and wonderful.

Valtteri, in recent years, has fully embraced his playful side – whether it’s cycling in the buff, rocking his now-iconic mullet, or dropping a nude calendar. That unfiltered, carefree energy was the perfect match for WhistlePig’s challenger spirit. It wasn’t about forcing a fit; it was already there.

LBB> Working with star talent often means needing to maximise limited availability. How did you make the most of your time with Valtteri?

Harry> Along with directors, The Three Shades, we pre-visualised everything beforehand, which let us fine-tune the comedy, pacing, and overall flow ahead of time.

Then, on set, we ran a second pre-vis once the lighting and locations were locked, allowing us to adjust in real-time. That extra prep meant that by the time Valtteri stepped in, we weren’t second-guessing anything – we just let him do his thing and nailed what we needed efficiently.

LBB> What techniques did you use to amp up the comedy in each film?

Harry> The lo-fi aesthetic and absurd humour gave us free rein to play with all kinds of techniques.

Crash zooms paired with deadpan looks the to camera, flurried quick-cut Edgar Wright-style edits, tacky special effects, moments of self-awareness where the camera is both acknowledged and ignored, and even some double-exposed frames – all of it combines to create something playfully weird.

LBB> Overall, what was the most rewarding part of working on this campaign?

Harry> We’ve worked with F1 talent in all sorts of ways before, but this project had a different energy from the start. Being able to have fun with the scripts – not just in pre-production, but on set and even in the edit – made the whole process feel loose, playful, and creatively free in a way that’s not always the case with high profile talent, where things can sometimes lean more polished and corporate.

That kind of energy only happens when you’ve got incredible talent, a client that’s fully up for pushing the fun, and, to some degree, the creative constraints of a tight deadline and budget. Those limits can actually be a gift – they force you to think differently, be more resourceful, and ultimately create something unexpected like we have with this project.