Maker's Mark online campaign

CHARACTER IS NOT MADE BY A MACHINE

Maker’s Mark has been creating quality bourbon for several decades and, despite the growing scale of production, it sticks to traditional, artisanal techniques. As one of the very few producers, the company makes barrels in its manufacturing plant, the neck of each bottle is hand-sealed with red wax, and the labels are still printed on a manual printing machine from 1953. At each stage, local products are used and processed in a traditional manner. However, the single global communication channel of Maker’s Mark in no way reflected the manufacturing approach and attention to detail. TESTA set a clear goal: emphasize the brand’s ethics at the communication level. We had to create quality content, in cooperation with specialists in their respective fields, and in a proper style. We’ve decided to present Maker’s Mark through actions with the young generation of artisan craftsmen with a clearly defined identity – guided by the slogan “character isn’t made by machine”.

A GLOBAL BRAND IN A LOCAL MANUFACTURE

Having to present a premium product, we knew that it does not have to be visible everywhere, but only among selected groups that appreciate the values of Maker’s Mark. Carefully choosing partners, we’ve emphasized the product’s uniqueness and its artisanal character – increasing the visibility not only in the spirits industry, but above all in the lifestyle industry. We have established cooperation with Michał Kędziora – the creator of the Mr. Vintage blog – one of the most opinion-forming websites about the broadly understood male style. Together, we’ve produced materials with creators of quality, handmade products – a leatherworker Michał Tysarczyk, a blacksmith Konrad Baron, a tailoring duo Krupa&Rzeszutko, the Mo61 perfumery, and the MUA Studio ceramic workshop. They all share a passion for traditional craftsmanship in a modern version. Videos, interviews, and articles were published through the Mr. Vintage channels, with Maker’s Mark as a patron. As Michał Kędziora himself defined the principle of cooperation, the brand’s presence in publications was elegant and not intrusive. Additionally, personalized packages for influencers were created. We’ve sent bottles of Maker’s Mark to Maja Sablewska, Michał Żebrowski, and Filip Bobek, as well as items inspired by the client’s brand and made by artisans invited to cooperate. We’ve also invited the Błonie brand to work with us, a Polish manufacturer of exclusive handmade watches. In terms of this cooperation, a unique watch inspired by Maker’s Mark was created. The watch was the main prize in a competition carried out in cooperation with the facetpo40.pl website. Additionally, a series of articles promoting Maker’s Mark appeared on the website. The actions ended with a Christmas promotional campaign including 50 lifestyle influencers, which allowed to reach the audience on a larger scale.

CONTEXT CHANGES EVERYTHING

Thanks cooperating with Mr. Vintage, we were able to solve the problem of the lack of space to communicate content dedicated to the Polish recipient, without the need to create our own channels from scratch. At the same time, we’ve created quality materials that fit the character of Maker’s Mark – we did not show the product, but the style and values that are associated with it. The publications really supported the values followed by Maker’s Mark – they referred to the local artisanal scene and aroused the interest of readers. Thanks to this, a context was created in which the brand could fully emerge and remain in the awareness of local recipients. This is no accident. We are able to read the DNA of brands and create a space for their communication.