• by Les Luchter , August 31, 2021

Nine months after acquiring Windsor Canadian Whisky from Beam Suntory, Prestige Beverage Group has launched “Enjoy It Out There,” a campaign consisting of point-of-sale signage, on-premise collateral, social media and upcoming brand activations.

Windsor Canadian has associated itself with the outdoors since its U.S. launch in 1963, often using scenes in the Canadian Rockies to evoke its production in the region (indeed, a Daily Beast columnist last year remembered an ‘80s ad showing mountaineers roped together and scaling a peak).

But the new campaign, from creative agency Fast Horse, is designed to bring a “broader and more inclusive lens to the meaning of outdoor recreation,” Kathy Reilly, vice president marketing and innovation at Prestige Beverage Group, told Marketing Daily. The tagline itself, she noted, “is a universal well-wishing for anyone preparing for outdoor activities.”

Far removed from rugged mountain climbing, for instance, a new Instagram post shows fairly tranquil watercolor aesthetic images of fishing, camping, cross-country skiing and lakeside relaxation.

“We wanted to bring a fresh, modern approach to the whisky category, which tends to focus on brand heritage and tradition,” said Reilly. “In our research, we found that Millennials and Gen Z consumers of legal drinking age didn’t connect with traditional whisky marketing, but rather appreciated brands that brought a different perspective.”

So the younger crowd is also urged in the messaging to share Windsor Canadian with their “pack” when venturing “out there.”

“Our challenge was creating something that resonated with younger whisky drinkers while remaining relevant to brand loyalists,” said Eric Husband, vice president, integrated creative director at Fast Horse.

The campaign includes Windsor Canadian Black Cherry, a spinoff launched in 2012.