Bushmills, the oldest Irish whiskey, is on a creative
roll.
It just launched “Follow No One,” a nationwide campaign that encourages people to be individuals. Or as the final
line of the spot puts it: "A reminder to all that when there is no path, you make your own."
The spot arrives on the heels of its St. Patrick’s Day effort: “Forsake Your Namesake.”
The company’s creative
agency, Mekanism, references the legend of Finn McCool in the new work. McCool was a giant who built a path from the north coast of Ireland across the sea after his rival, the Scottish giant Benandonner, challenged him to a duel. The path is known as “The Giant’s Causeway,” a striking natural
phenomenon located in County Antrim, three miles from Old Bushmills’ distillery.
The creative compares McCool’s decision to build a path where none existed to
Bushmills’ history of making Ireland’s single-malt whiskey and whiskey blends distinct for more than 400 years.
“Follow No One” includes a 30-second spot and shorter
versions that run across social, programmatic, search and digital partnerships, including The New York Times and Vox throughout 2023 and beyond.
Kara Coyle, the creative group
director for Mekanism, said Bushmills, the world's first whiskey distiller, had no precedent to follow. "Bushmills paved the path that all whisky brands have followed and has continued to do so for
over 400 years," she told Agency Daily. "We were inspired by that conviction."