“One Taste My Tongue’s Exploded” – Behind Captain Morgan’s Unhinged Internet Culture Melody

LBB> What was the brief from Captain Morgan, and how did Vayner initially respond?

Anne> We asked our agency partners to bring us ideas that would inspire the next generation of legal drinking age consumers to discover and try Captain Morgan Sweet Chili Lime –our best testing innovation in years. We knew the liquid was fantastic, and we needed a campaign to introduce it that was as out of the box as the flavour profile.

Among the initial ideas presented, one concept –"Mouth-Blowing" –immediately stood out. It quickly became the top contender for three main reasons –first and foremost, it clearly communicated the bold flavour of Sweet Chili Lime and laid the groundwork for what consumers could expect when they took their first sip. Secondly, from a marketing perspective, it injected the right level of irreverence and fun that has become synonymous with Captain Morgan over the years. And lastly, that song –the minute we heard it, we knew we had to bring it to the masses.

LBB> Just as Captain Morgan’s Sweet Chili Lime flavour is “unlike anything that’s ever hit your lips”, this song is unlike anything to have hit people’s ears too. Why and how did you decide that a song was the right medium to launch the product?

Anne> Music provides us with a unique and universal opportunity to connect with consumers in an unconventional way – just think of all the iconic jingles you’re still singing years later! We were fortunate enough to already have someone on our team at VaynerMedia who knew the Captain Morgan brand and specialises in writing and creating comedic music tracks and videos, and when he came up with the chorus for the Sweet Chili Lime song, we knew it would be something that would stick with people – catchy, memorable, and just as fun as Captain Morgan itself. It’s been an earworm for us for weeks, and we’re excited for consumers across the internet to be humming the tune for weeks to come, hopefully with a mouth-blowing cocktail in hand.

LBB> And why was a mixed-media animation the right approach for this campaign, and how did you go about crafting it?

Anne> We continue to see the LDA (legal drinking age) and gen z audience gravitate towards memes and a lower-fi approach to their social feeds. With this mixed-media approach, we’re aiming to meet the consumer in their world and reflect the unhinged internet culture that we feel Captain Morgan has a right to play in with this content.

LBB> The animation is packed full of bold imagery and vivid colours that support the lyrics of the song. How did you pick what to include, and do you have a particular favourite moment?

Anne> We knew if we were going to describe something as mouth-blowing, the visuals had to back it up – bold imagery and vivid colours were needed elements to convey that indescribable taste of Captain Morgan Sweet Chili Lime. As the song builds and becomes more unhinged, it only made sense for the visuals to follow suit. As far as picking a favourite, it’s like choosing a favourite child, but how could we not give a special shout out to the poetry that is, “The Captain just spanked my throat, and now I’ll hit this high note!”

LBB> The song seems to be a mix of early 2000’s pop-punk merged with electro beats – were there any particular inspirations behind it?

Anne> Musically, the main goal was to create a genuinely great song that had the power to stand on its own beyond a single campaign. From the vocal layering to the catchy melody and production approach, everything was crafted with the intention of making an anthemic hit that would make you want to get up and dance again and again. For the soundtrack, we were aiming to strike a balance between the nostalgia that has proliferated this new generation of LDA drinkers with something that felt fresh and very of the now – the track captures the vibe of an ‘80s new age band mixed with a modern twist, yielding something entirely new that still feels vaguely familiar.

LBB> Why were Amrit Kaur and Devon Walker the perfect pair to turn the sensation of being ‘mouth-blown’ into a song?

Anne> Just like the multiple facets of the Sweet Chili Lime flavour profile, we wanted to build this campaign to have multiple interpretations and explanations of mouth-blowing flavour. Amrit and Devon were the perfect partners to help us bring more of a PSA-style explanation of mouth-blowing flavour to life that launched the terminology into the cultural lexicon – they brought their creativity and comedic genius and we’re so excited to be able to collaborate with them on this project. Keep an eye out for more mouth-blowing content rolling out from our talent partners over the coming weeks!

LBB> Were there any particular challenges in bringing this campaign to life?

Anne> Once we fell in love with “Mouth-Blowing” as the creative idea, the challenge really became how to properly convey what this brand new term means to consumers who may be hesitant to try this indescribable flavour combination. Knowing this needed to translate across various mediums - digital, social, OOH, influencer, gifting, events, etc. we worked collaboratively across our interagency team to ensure the idea fit each channel in its own unique way.