High Spirits: Why Bacardí is Partying with ‘Move Like It’s Summer’ Campaign
In the Northern Hemisphere, summer is coming, and it can’t come quickly enough. To usher in the sunshine and socialising, Bacardí has launched an energetic and colourful campaign that promises to get the beach party started. Devised by BBDO New York, directed by duo Cliqua (RJ Sanchez & Pasqual Gutierrez), and set to the rhythmic beats of Major Lazer and J. Balvin track, Que Calor the campaign ‘Move Like It’s Summer’ springs forth from Bacardí’s brand ethos ‘Do what moves you’.
In addition to a 30 second hero spot, there’s a pair of spots that highlight different products. Beach Day sees a seaside celebration spring to life after a man discovers disconnected wires under the sand and plugs in a giant wall of speakers. This film features Bacardí’s pre-mixed cocktail cans. Meanwhile, Block Party sees a traffic cop use her megaphone to turn the street into a bustling carnival – featuring Bacardí’s coconut flavoured rum.
To turn up the volume on this campaign, LBB’s Laura Swinton caught up with Lisa Pfenning, vice president for North America, Bacardí Rum & Laila Mignoni, global head of brand marketing communications, Bacardí Rum to find out more.
LBB> We’ve seen the craft gin boom, a reignited interest in whisky… where does rum sit in the spirits market in 2022? What’s the public interest in and appetite for rum?
Lisa> We’ve seen a lot of growth in the rum category compared to two years ago, specifically in the off-premise, which tells us people are choosing rum when they’re shopping for spirits. A huge player in our portfolio has no doubt been our range of Real Rum Canned Cocktails, and it’s no wonder since spirit-based ready-to-drink serves have continued to drive significant growth of spirits value overall (+72%), according to Nielsen. In fact, the popularity of our canned cocktails has skyrocketed since they first launched in spring of 2020 and have consistently received high rankings among other spirits-based ready-to-drink beverages.
Behind ready-to-drink, I’d say the second largest pillar of growth has been in premiumization, with ultra-premium spirits up 17%. Rum wasn’t always considered a premium spirit, mostly due to lack of awareness among consumers, but we’ve really been funnelling a lot of our efforts into educating people on the spirit itself, and it’s paid off year-over-year. One way we’ve done this is by appealing to premium-sipping consumers with additions to our premium offerings, including the introduction of the Cask Finish series. This takes our hero Bacardí Reserva Ocho rum (aged for a minimum of eight years) and finishes it in a series of casks – like sherry – adding a different level of complexity to the rum, and I’m excited to say we’ll be rolling out new limited-edition variants annually through 2025.
LBB> And what would you say are the unique attributes of the Bacardí brand?
Lisa> Bacardí has harnessed its history and heritage in a way that welcomes innovation, and I think that makes us pretty unique. Our rum to this day is a product of Don Facundo Bacardi’s own trailblazing influence, and the fact that his discovery and use of the Levadura Bacardi strain of yeast transformed the rum distillation process across the industry is something we truly value. We’ve reached an exciting point where we’re able to infuse his approach into our current methods, enabling us to continue producing high quality rum that’s consistently characterised by its many complexities. By using the same processes to make BacardÍ rum for 160 years, we’ve successfully earned the title of World’s Most-Awarded Rum, and as such, Don Facundo Bacardi’s legacy lives on stronger than ever.
LBB> For this campaign, what was the strategic starting point?
Laila> We wanted to celebrate that spontaneous, carefree and liberated feeling that comes so naturally with the summer season, so keeping that inspiration in mind was key to getting this campaign over the finish line. We worked with a talented team of creatives to bring this vision to life, and in the end, we were able to capture that fun-loving sentiment through each spot’s creative elements, colourful transitions, and of course, the music, which really shines through with a huge thanks to talented directing duo, Cliqua. Their strong background in music was the perfect accompaniment to the upbeat campaign we envisioned.
LBB> What was it about the idea from BBDO NY that really captured what you needed from this campaign?
Laila> It was a pleasure working with BBDO NY on this campaign, and their vision for colour, music and movement really resonated with our brand ethos. Since we’ve worked with the agency for seven years now, that legacy has only added to their ability to effectively tailor campaigns to the brand.
LBB> Music, colour, summer - the connection with rum is there and Bacardí's party spirit - but how much of what's driving the campaign is also people's yearning for a free and sociable summer after two years of Covid?
Laila> The Bacardí brand ethos is Do What Moves You’, which seeks to move people both physically and emotionally through our products and compelling campaigns, and that’s exactly what we all need after these last couple of years. Every summer is an opportunity to share the warm, contagious Caribbean energy that Bacardí exudes, and we understand that this summer may be especially coveted by those looking to get back out into the world and come together again with friends. So, while we’re always looking to drum up fun and bring people together, I think this year’s ‘Move Like It’s Summer’ campaign takes that to another level simply because it’s the perfect time for everyone to embrace that mindset with some help from Bacardí. We hope each video inspires people to treat themselves to beach and block parties all summer long – we all deserve some fun!
LBB> The track, Que Calor from Major Lazer and J. Balvin really pulls the whole campaign together! What is it about the track that fits what you're trying to achieve with the campaign - and as a marketer how do you think about music?
Laila> Music and Bacardí go hand-in-hand, and that’s something we always want to convey through our creative campaigns. We put a lot of effort into finding the perfect track for every ad spot, and ‘Que Calor’ by Major Lazer and J. Balvin not only sets the tone, but it embodies the spirit of ‘Do What Moves You’ and has a Latin Caribbean vibe just like Bacardí . It ties together each spirited dance party on screen, from a balmy shoreline to a bustling city intersection, all the while showing everyone that Bacardí is perfect for any summertime drinking occasions.
LBB> From your perspective what were the most interesting challenges or decisions involved in bringing this to life?
Laila> There is a lot to consider when ideating a campaign like this and choosing which products we want to spotlight is one of the main considerations. The Bacardí Real Rum Canned Cocktail range as well as Bacardí Coconut and our flagship white rum in Bacardí Superior are all summer staples in our portfolio – as such, we sought to capture the occasions in which those are meant to be enjoyed. Each scene you see in the videos, from a lively block party to a colourful beach day, is perfectly fitting for the season and adored by cocktail lovers around the world. Setting the scene and showing off the perfect drink to accompany it, all while communicating the vivacious energy of the brand, is always the toughest creative challenge to crack.
LBB> Are there other activations and events surrounding/supporting this big summer campaign - if so can you tell me about them?
Laila> Our ‘Do What Moves You’ brand ethos never stops here at Bacardí, and we will have activations all summer long, from music festivals to campaign launches and everything in between. I unfortunately can’t reveal much more right now but stay tuned on social media and we’ll reveal it all soon.
