Jack Daniel's Creates Online Buzz for its Tennessee Honey Whiskey Brand

Louisville, Ky. — Brown-Forman marketers brought the Jack Daniel’s King Bee character back into the spotlight in the summer of 2013 with a “Summer Swarm” campaign that promoted Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey flavored whiskey.The company introduced the King Bee character in 2011 with the launch of Tennessee Honey, the brand’s first new product in more than a decade. The large honeybee wears a black-and-white helmet and goggles, and its black and white body mimics the colors of Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7 whiskey. “Jack Daniel’s is an iconic brand that has a little bit of swagger and a little bit of an attitude, and the King Bee represents that,” says Christa Bryant, director, customer and channel marketing, Brown-Forman.The campaign included a contest running from June through July that had consumers submit photos of themselves with friends – their “swarm” – enjoying summer for a chance to win a $5,000 travel agency voucher. Weekly winners received Jack Honey summer swag.Consumers entered by submitting photos via text, a mobile-friendly promotional website designed by Draftfcb Chicago, or Twitter/Instagram using the #SummerSwarm hashtag. Brown-Forman displayed the photos in a gallery on the promotional site, where visitors could vote for their favorites. Taking into account the votes as well as creativity and uniqueness of each photo’s representation of the “Summer Swarm,” a panel of judges chose the winner.The campaign utilized Twitter, Instagram and Facebook to build awareness, particularly among its target market of those aged 21 to 34. The brand currently has more than 1 million Facebook fans, 10,000-plus followers on Twitter and more than 200 Instagram followers.The company employed a 30-second national TV spot created by Boston-based Arnold Worldwide that was shared via Facebook and Twitter prior to its TV debut with messages such as “Bee the first to see our new King Bee spot!” and “The Jack Daniel’s King Bee is back and he’s not alone. Like any good night out, things get interesting when there’s a swarm.”In the spot, the King Bee flies down a city street as other honeybees join him and follow him into a tavern, where the King Bee buzzes around a glowing Tennessee Honey bottle while the other bees form the word “Swarm.”“There are quite a few spirits drinkers who love what Jack Daniel’s stands for as an all-American brand, but who are not actually Jack or whiskey drinkers,” Bryant says. “Tennessee Honey is intended to introduce those consumers to Jack in an approachable way.”The beverage is Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7 infused with a proprietary honey liqueur. Both Tennessee Whiskey and Tennessee Honey share the same label hierarchy and bottle structure. “This helps communicate the single-most important aspect – it’s from Jack,” says Bryant.Brown-Forman supported the digital efforts with a mix of paid and earned media as well as on-premise and in-store activation. Experiential teams visited multiple locations and offered consumers the chance to win branded items. They also shared key summer recipes, such as Honey Lemonade and Honey Julep. In-store, activation comprised floor graphics, shelf-talkers and recipe guides.Universal McCann, New York, managed media buying, and Denver-based ImageSeller handled tactical elements, Bryant says.The “Summer Swarm” campaign, which will continue in 2014, is measured by both business – sales, consumer takeaway – and consumer metrics such as trial and awareness. “Tennessee Honey has really met expectations,” Bryant says. “It’s been a leader in the category.”

Jack Daniel's Creates Online Buzz for its Tennessee Honey Whiskey Brand

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