• by Karlene Lukovitz  @KLmarketdaily, June 5, 2017

Brown-Forman is pulling out the stops to broaden awareness of Jack Daniel’s’ premium brand, Gentleman Jack, and get fans of the original Jack Daniels to try it.

A new 30-second Gentleman Jack TV spot (below) from Arnold Worldwide parodies Vanity Fair’s distinctive celebrity photography style, with Jack Daniel’s distillery employees dressed in formal wear, striking glamour poses on the premises in Lynchburg, Tenn.

“These are the people who make Gentleman Jack. Cultured. Refined. As smooth as the whiskey itself,” says a voiceover. 

But the tone quickly shifts, as the same folks are shown in their normal garb, and the voiceover explains: “Just kidding. They’re the same folks who make Old No.7. They just take the time to mellow it twice.’ 

Message: Gentleman Jack is a step up — at $30, about $8 more per bottle — but it’s still made by the same people, for the same people, who love Old No. 7.  

The new campaign aims “to connect Gentleman Jack to the same thing that makes Jack Daniel’s special — the pride and craftsmanship that goes into our whiskey,” summed up Gentleman Jack global brand director Matt Blevins. 

“Gentleman Jack is about that extra layer of refinement, but we knew we had to stay true to the people in Lynchburg who make it. So we took that head on and had fun,” added Arnold Worldwide executive creative director Wade Devers, who reports that the distillery workers were “totally up for” the idea. 

The campaign also includes print, influencer partnerships and social media.

Later this year, Brown-Forman will release a limited-edition, “extra mature,” 86-proof version of Gentleman Jack ($37.99 suggested retail price). It will come in a bottle with a metallic, engraved label inspired by the one-of-a-kind handcrafted Patek Philippe pocket watch that was worn by founder Jack Daniel.