• by Karlene Lukovitz , July 31, 2009

A new Knob Creek Bourbon campaign with the tagline "Thanks for Nothing" is promoting a supply shortage to spotlight the brand's commitment to quality.

The No. 1-selling super-premium bourbon, Knob Creek is aged nine years (versus the legal two-year mandatory aging for "ordinary" bourbons) -- a fact that is called out on its label.

Demand has exceeded the maker's forecast since the current batch was barreled in 2000, resulting in a shortage until the next batch is released this coming November, according to the company.

Two print ads explaining the situation and asking Knob Creek fans to be patient, created by the brand's agency, Doe Anderson, appeared in The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times during July and June and are also scheduled to run in beverage trades through October.

In addition, distributors and spirits media received empty bottles of Knob Creek with a "Thanks for Nothing" note explaining the storage. Members of the Knob Creek Stillhouse, a consumer group that brings together connoisseurs of the brand, received T-shirts emblazoned with the message: "I survived the drought of 2009."

The ads and promotional mailings have generated praise from industry bloggers and other influencers for their creativity and commitment-to-quality message, as well as emails from brand loyalists promising to wait out the shortage, according to a Knob Hill spokesperson.

"This shortage will be short-lived, but it provides a great opportunity to thank Knob Creek fans for their loyalty," Kelly Doss, senior director, Bourbons and whiskeys for Beam Global Sprits & Wine, tells Marketing Daily. "'Thanks for Nothing' reassures our consumers that we will not sacrifice quality for numbers."