• by Karlene Lukovitz , August 18, 2009

A new, $11-million campaign from Cruzan Rum departs from recent years' more lighthearted efforts to focus on the brand's quality and authenticity.

The core elements of the creative for the out-of-home-focused campaign are the tagline "The Legendary Rum of St. Croix" and photographs by Nadav Kander of real St. Croix locals (Crucians) going about their daily routines on the U.S. Virgin Island.

One of the six executions from Fallon Worldwide, for example, shows a local bartender with a bottle of Cruzan on the bar, the headline "Still Served in Bars Where Hemingway Drank," and the "legendary" tagline below.

The out-of home will be national, but focused on Florida, Texas, New York, New Jersey, Seattle and Southern California. On-premises events will be concentrated in the same markets. The ads will also appear in select business and trade publications, and will provide the theme for new point-of-sale materials to replace current ones starting next year, according to Cruzan Brand Education Manager Andrea Bearbower.

The campaign kicked off during a Dave Matthews Band concert at the Cruzan Amphitheatre in West Palm Beach, Fla. last Friday. Traditional Caribbean Bimini Ring games, a steel drum band and "legendary" Cruzan cocktails were featured -- the same elements to be featured at the brand's bar events.

Beam Global Spirits & Wine acquired Cruzan from Pernod Ricard last year. The more serious/sophisticated campaign approach from the new marketing team is a shift away from the tongue-in-cheek tone and cocktail recipe orientation of the brand's recent efforts, points out Bearbower. Beam appointed David Turo, formerly of Allied Domecq and Coca-Cola North America, as Cruzan's senior brand manager.

Beam Global, which prides itself on developing "bold, innovative, creative and unique campaigns that engage our consumers in meaningful ways," is committed to investing in increasing consumer awareness of Cruzan to drive its growth, confirms Anne Cyron, Beam's senior director, cordials and rums.

The new campaign is intended to appeal to consumers who are looking for "a refined and sophisticated rum," says Cyron, in the campaign's announcement. Beam, which prides itself on developing "bold, innovative, creative and unique campaigns that engage our consumers in meaningful ways," is committed to investing in increasing consumer awareness of Cruzan to drive its growth, she confirms.

First distilled in St. Croix in 1760, Cruzan has been made there by the Nelthropp family for three generations. Gary Nelthropp is currently the liquor's master distiller and president.

Fallon Worldwide designed the campaign's point-of-sale and sales tools, as well as the ads. Starcom coordinated the out-of-home media buys. On-premise event executions will be led by Relay. SHIFT Communications (Boston) is handling public and media relations, and Qorvis Communications (Washington, D.C.) is directing business and trade communications.