Shackleton Whisky launched in 2017 & although it received positive reviews, initial growth was steady rather than spectacular. Whyte & Mackay tasked Sky Media & Republic of Media to illustrate the adventurous spirit of the whisky, which is no small feat in the competitive whisky market. By incorporating a TV solution into this plan of action, we were able to reach 42% of modern spirit drinkers (ABC1 males aged 25-40) in the UK. With a budget less than a quarter of its biggest competitor, Shackleton Whisky set ambitious objectives.

The first was to become the fastest growing brand in the contemporary spirit category by driving awareness within their core target audience. The second was to position themselves as the whisky for adventurous modern spirits drinkers. Research showed there was a gap in the market for a whisky brand to align with an adventurous target audience, and coupled with the knowledge that viewers sometimes tend to be more interested in the image of the brand rather than the merits of the product, we wanted to build a campaign around the core emotive theme of adventure.

The strategy for developing Shackleton Whisky's brand story was all about chasing the BIG adventure. A creative idea was developed, with the consumer-facing line of 'Born Adventurous'. The creative execution would conceptualise the authenticity of Shackleton Whisky to operate in this never-before trodden space. Adventure is rooted in the heritage of Shackleton, so they needed a big, exciting, modern platform to build purpose & earn a place in the modern spirit drinkers' lives of today.

Through using our TV media solution alongside other aspects of the campaign, together we were able to drive a 42% coverage of Modern Spirit Drinkers (ABC1 Males 25-40) in the UK. National Geographic's tracking showed that the campaign pushed the brand towards being viewed as more unique, adventurous and authentic among those exposed to the campaign. Amongst its competitors, Shackleton clearly stands out as an 'adventurous' and 'unique' whisky; the only truly different brand among those surveyed.

The campaign planned to reach 156 TVRs yet overdelivered with 189 TVRs. Delivered + £30,000 of added value across Linear and VoD. Average dwell time on the 3 x articles exceeded the National Geographic average. Prompted Awareness of Shackleton amongst All Adults increased by 41%. Prompted Awareness of Shackleton amongst Modern Spirit Drinkers increased by 28%.