The ad by Arnold Worldwide begins by showing workers at the
distillery decked out for a Vanity Fair-style photo shoot, formal
dresses and top hats included. "Just kidding," says the voiceover,
as they reappear in their typical casual wear.
The goal is to get more drinkers of Old No. 7 to trade up to
Gentleman Jack, which is marketed as having a smoother taste
because it is charcoal-filtered, or "mellowed," twice. Brown-Forman
wants to keep Jack drinkers in the family as more whiskeys flood
the market, many from far beyond the traditional American whiskey
strongholds of Tennessee and Kentucky. Consumers in other markets
are now tempted by local whiskeys.
"One challenge for Brown Forman is maintaining
premium/aspirational status for the Jack Daniel's family when a
segment of the population gives a status halo to something that
just happens to be locally produced," said Robert Ottenstein,
senior managing director of global beverages for Evercore ISI, an
investment advisory firm. In a recent report, the firm pointed to a
the menu at Ocean Prime, a high-end steak and seafood restaurant in
Dallas. The whiskey section featured five Texas-made brands, and
even a "Texas flight" of three local offerings.
Matt Blevins, global brand director for Gentleman Jack,
downplayed the threat. "This broad trend of people discovering
whiskey, however they discover it, is a good thing," he said. "And
if it's driven by smaller brands that are new and upstart, I think
that great for our industry. What we are confident in is the
quality of the product is at what matters in the end, and our
product is as good a product as there is."
The Gentleman Jack ad reminds viewers that "they are the same
folks who make Old. No 7." The spot continues a broader campaign
that has put the spotlight on Lynchburg, including this recent Jack
Daniel's ad spotlighting its NBA sponsorship.
Gentleman Jack has been growing of late, with sales up 7.4% in
the three-month period ending in April, according to a recent
report by Sanford C. Bernstein. But Brown Forman executives see
greater potential for Gentleman Jack.
Globally, Gentleman Jack has roughly 10% of the super premium
American-made whiskey market, Blevins said. Old No. 7, by contrast,
has a firmer grasp on the next tier down, known as premium, with
about 50% share globally, he said. "That tells us we have room to
run on Gentleman Jack," he said. "Even people who love Jack Daniels
… may not know Gentleman Jack."
As part of the new investment the brand later this year will
sell limited-edition bottles with a metallic-engraved label design
inspired by a Patek Philippe pocket watch worn by the real-life
Jack Daniel. The liquid inside is an extra-mature 86-proof version
of Gentleman Jack, compared with the regular 80-proof variety. The
suggested price is $37.99.