Ron Abuelo Repositions Añejo for a Changing Latin American Market

Purple Creative has recently crafted a new campaign for Ron Abuelo Añejo, the youngest rum in the Abuelo Panamanian rum portfolio.

Although one of Abuelo’s biggest and best-selling rums in Panama and the Latin American (LatAm) region, it’s had very little campaign support over the years. So, timed to coincide with a packaging label refresh, this new campaign was the most significant marketing push in years. Created to refresh and elevate the profile of the expression, it was targeted at digital natives within Panama and the wider LatAm region with the aim of inspiring the next generation of rum lover.

The campaign, called ‘Where Great Stories Begin’, captures the fun, joy and endless possibilities of Ron Abuelo Añejo, and puts the rum at the heart of every story worth telling.

“From the start, we wanted to capture the rum’s exuberance and a more youthful energy, moving away from detailed craft and production stories, into more aspirational lifestyle scenarios. We loved the possibilities this conjured up, and the idea that Añejo was the perfect start to every great story and where that could lead.” said Gwyn Edwards, creative director, Purple

The idea was brought to life with dynamic art direction, showing a variety of fun photographic drinking moments relating to consumption insights. The typography expressed a sense of time, adding a contemporary edge in animation and static OOH visuals. As ever, each execution strategically laddered up to the brand platform, ‘Inspiring generations since 1908’.

The campaign was launched in Panama and across the LatAm region in March and April 2025 across paid social, OOH and off-trade.