• by Steve Ellwanger , April 6, 2023

Grand Marnier’s new global campaign conjures up a series of unexpected “grand encounters” to raise awareness of the 1827-created spirit's unlikely pairing of cognac and bitter orange liqueur.

The “Grand Encounter” concept comes to life in a series of mini films from Wunderman Thompson Paris directed by Jake Nava, who is known for his work in music videos for Beyoncé, Arctic Monkeys, Adele, Britney Spears and The Rolling Stones.

In this spot dubbed “Music,” a softly playing classical pianist accompanied by four strings players are joined in a studio by a hip-hop DJ spinning his own upbeat style of music as the voiceover references “The encounter of cognac and orange liqueur.”

Likewise, “Dance” conjoins a ballet dancer and a street dancer who embrace to perform together.

The inspiration for the campaign was the nearly two centuries-old “audacious idea” to combine cognac “with a rare variety of exotic orange,” according to Campari Group Global Head of Marketing Julka Villa.

“Through this campaign, we are telling the story of Grand Marnier's rich history and heritage in a modern and culturally relevant way,” Villa tells Marketing Daily.

“We hope to encourage consumers to elevate their cocktail and drinking experience and inspire them to create their own Grand Encounters.”

The campaign also features the Grand Margarita cocktail and the new Grand Smash—which Campari describes as “a magical meeting between Grand Marnier, lemon and mint — along with Cuvée Louis-Alexandre, a Grand Marnier blend named for creator Louis-Alexandre Marnier Lapostolle.