Diageo’s ads for pre-mixed cocktails wonder what you’ll do with your shaker now

Shake no more! If you hoarded cocktail shakers during your mixologist phase, influenced by TikTok trends during COVID, it’s time to find a new purpose for your bar tools because Diageo’s premium pre-made cocktails are set to shake up the at-home cocktail scene. With their offering of ready-made concoctions, there’s no need for shaking, leaving cocktail shakers in the dust as mixologist aficionados can enjoy mixed drinks hassle-free. But what will happen to the shakers as they are forgotten, hidden in the back corners of your kitchen cabinets? Diageo tapped Austin-based agency Bakery to bring forward some ideas. Working alongside photographer Ale Burset and production house F16 Producciones, the team designated some spots for the now-obsolete barware, suggesting they could be used as flower vases, toothbrush holders or even your pet’s urn. “When it came to choosing how to execute it, I felt that direct camera flash would give it a raw and modern touch that is related to the target audience of the brand,” said Burset. The style gives the campaign a distinct look and enhances the scenes where the shakers are the subject. The concept originated from a conversation within the Bakery team about Diageo’s Cocktail Collection, with some members noting they hadn’t used their at-home shakers since they began enjoying the mixed spirits at home. This aligns with the campaign’s goal of establishing Diageo’s pre-mixed cocktails as a quality and convenient alternative for cocktail enthusiasts, since it launched the collection in late 2023. Also read: Straightaway’s new ads bring a taste of Portland to the craft cocktail world “Since the launch of The Cocktail Collection, we’ve been looking for different ways to show off the exceptional quality and convenience of our products. That’s why this idea of repurposing cocktail shakers resonated with us so much,” said Nikhil Shah, brand director at Diageo. “By pairing the humor of the idea with these beautiful shots from Ale Burset, this campaign has felt truly distinct from any project I’ve worked on before and really sets the brand up for success moving forward.” The campaign launch includes ad placement on Times Square’s largest LED billboard and a full-page ad in The New York Times’ Arts section. “The shaker afterlife scenarios we started landing on made us laugh but also lended themselves to powerful bite-sized visuals,” said Kerrie Heckel, creative director at Bakery. Heckle noted that the humorous scenarios resonated with the clients, leading them to pushing the boundaries of what was brought to market. “They were literally cool enough to let us put up a photo of a dog urn in Times Square,” she said.

Diageo’s ads for pre-mixed cocktails wonder what you’ll do with your shaker now

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