• by Fern Siegel , November 8, 2023

Ogilvy debuted its first creative work for Jameson, an Irish whiskey, since winning the account in July.

The first spots for the brand just went live in the U.S. The work runs across TV, audio, social, out-of-home and streaming channels here, then rolls out worldwide.

Creative was done by Ogilvy UK, Ogilvy New York and Ogilvy Chicago.

Two spots, 30-seconds and 60 seconds, underscore the whiskey's joie de vivre approach to life.

Its new global campaign, “Must Be a Jameson,” is narrated by Irish actor Cillian Murphy and directed by two-time Oscar-nominated writer-director, Bryan Buckley, who has directed more than 65 spots for the Super Bowl.

One ad's main character is a cool guy who breezes through life. Stain on shirt? Wheel comes off a boat? No problem! He just sails through, as smooth as his drink: Jameson whiskey.

In the second spot, launching in mid-November, a woman faces adventures with a casual spirit and easy charm. That ad promotes Jameson Orange, the brand's latest release, which hit stores in January 2022.

OOH displays further the idea of a singular spirit. The copy reads: "If you’ve never set foot in Ireland, but still feel a part of the family."

Antonis Kocheilas, Global CEO of Ogilvy Advertising, said: "Jameson is a brand known for having a smooth taste that everyone can enjoy, and a lighthearted nature that welcomes people. This new brand platform created a campaign that shows that if you share that same spirit, you too, must be a Jameson.”

The triple-distilled Jameson captured 74.8% of Irish whiskey volume sales in the United States in 2021, per Statista. Jameson is owned by Pernod Ricard USA.