The new Drambuie commercial.  It’s deliciously weird.  And there’s a big idea behind that.

A year ago, Sell!Sell! picked up a brand that was “For a lot of people, a vague memory that lives at the back of their parents' (or grandparents') drinks cabinet, brought out once a year at Christmas. Or worse still, they haven't heard of it at all.”

It is also a one-off as a drink - herby and spicy and honey-ey. The agency came up with the idea, “A Taste of the Extraordinary”. The creatives took themselves into the world of surreal art. How better to underscore Drambuie’s mystery, sophistication and difference?

The print ads that resulted were shot by photographer John Ross, famous for his record covers and known for his technical skill and creativity.
To capture a haunting timeless quality, they decided to photograph on large format film rather than digital. Huge task number one became getting hold of enough film. The sets were a challenge too. The black and white parquet floor alone took seven days to build from 6000 pieces hardwood.

To create the atmospheric feel, and the shadows with the light cast of the liquid running through, each shot was taken four different ways. Once for the bottle itself, once for the black part of the shadow, then to create the light cast, and finally for the right effect on the white wall and floor.
This year, Sell!Sell! got to aim huge for television and cinema. It previewed at a cinema screening in Canada before launching in the UK in the run up to Christmas (beginning in Scotland). The plan is to extend the campaign to the world’s Drambuie markets after Christmas.

Tim Dewey, Drambuie global marketing director, commented enthusiastically, “A Taste of the Extraordinary has taken Drambuie in a bold new direction to attract a new generation of drinkers. We wanted to create something that captivates our audience and is as distinctive as the brand itself – The Extraordinary Bar does this by depicting an extraordinary, rich and abstract world. It is a visual metaphor of the depth and complexity of Drambuie.”

Director is Chino Moya and producer, Jeremy Goold, at HSI. Yellow Boat Music did the soundtrack.

And Sell!Sell! ? It’s the creative agency begun in 2005 by Andy Palmer and Vic Polkinghorne - or as they describe it,  “Advertising street-fighters. The ad industry's naughty stepchild. Independent creative agency. Not everyone's cup of tea.”