• by David Goetzl  @dgoetzl, May 9, 2011

Bourbon brand Maker's Mark, part of Fortune Brands, is launching its first TV ad campaign as part of a multiplatform campaign with Discovery. Discovery said the spirits marketer is spending its entire 2011 TV and online budget on the campaign, its most expensive ever, on its properties. 

The initiative includes four 30-second vignettes linked with Discovery Channel series, including the premieres of "Man Vs. Wild," "Auction Kings" and two other shows. The network is producing the vignettes.

There is also support on Discovery Channel's Facebook and Twitter outlets, which according to the network have more than 6 million "likes" and followers. The vignettes will be melded in on discovery.com. The shorts will also be syndicated by Discovery on YouTube, MSN, Fancast and Yahoo.

Joe Abruzzese, Discovery's ad sales president, stated that the company "takes great pride in being selected among all broadcast and cable TV brands to introduce Maker's Mark to the national TV viewing audience."

Maker's Mark Bourbon has roots in 1954 at a small Kentucky distillery. The company is known for its bottles with the red wax dripping. Last year, a "Maker's 46" brand was launched.

Fortune Brands also owns Jim Beam, which does significant TV advertising, and Courvoisier, as well as the Titleist golf brand.