Jim Beam – “Bourbon Fest”

20 Mar Jim Beam – “Bourbon Fest”

The project at a glance

Project Title: Jim Beam – “Bourbon Fest”
Client: Beam Global Brands
Date: Mar 2007
Agency: Blacksheep
My Role: BDM/Account Director
Media:  On-premise venue’s across Australia

In a previous role I had built strong relationship with Ray Noble the Marketing Director of then Jim Beam Brands. In a conversation he happened to mention  he was looking for new way to reach his audience and felt that sponsoring other peoples events meant he lacked the exposure he was looking for.

I then approached Blacksheep production, an outdoor broadcast production company, with a proposition of employment. That proposition included the base idea of what later became the Bourdon Fest.

After pitching the initial idea to Jim Beam they asked that we sit down with their agency, The Works and work on the idea and present it back to Jim Beam. At which point they gave me the following brief.

Brief:
Encourage ‘drink of choice’ for afternoon drinking – competing with beer sales. Create a unique series of day-time events. Stay true to the Jim Beam brand, yet target new recruits. Quintessentially Australian with Jim Beam’s foundation – ‘Music, Sport & Passion’

The Solution:
Relationship building with key on-premise venue’s across Australia, with 2,000 – 2,500 people attendee per festival.
Creatively driven in ‘look and feel’ – fully branded with modern and creative elements
7-9 hours of non-stop entertainment & action including Axle Whitehead as host, various bands & Dj’s, celebrity appearances.
To custom build a Jim Beam Bus that tours with the festival (inc bar, 6-person spa, & strong graphic & video visuals) More info on the bus.

Working with The Works the project was approved and we received a budget of $1.600,000 to build the Bourbon Feast.

As account director I managed the relationship with the client and the agency, Bus Build, Ticketing, Talent, Event structure & format and microsite. The Agency was responsible for all  the creative elements.