• by Les Luchter , August 30, 2021

Bacardi’s Bombay Sapphire wants Americans to drink gin and tonic -- or, more specifically, Bombay & Tonic.

“Senses Stirred,” its new campaign toward that end, will run on online TV and social media through March 2022.

For the campaign, BBDO brought in director Alan Masferrer (BMW’s “Joy at First Sight”) to helm a spot in :30, :15 and :06 versions that “visualizes the sensations” of drinking Bombay & Tonic. OMD is the media agency.

“I have a particular affinity for the Bombay & Tonic as it was the drink my parents met over,” said Masferrer in the announcement, explaining why he was “excited…to illustrate this story of the ultimate sensory drink experience through our metaphorical installations of the bubbles, vapor mist, sparkling ice cube, citrus and botanical ingredients.”

Bombay Sapphire says it wants to drive interest in the iconic cocktail, citing a recent IWSR Drinks Market Analysis predicting that the premium-plus gin segment --  led by guess who -- will continue to grow by double digits through 2023.

“We want to make ‘Bombay & Tonic’ a household name for the gin and tonic drinking moment,” said Natasha Curtin, Bacardi global vice president for Bombay Sapphire.

In the coming months, the campaign will add social media influencers and experiential consumer events, the brand said.