See Maker’s Mark's first ad from Leo Burnett as brand tries to grow global image

Maker’s Mark is launching a campaign intended to help the American bourbon whiskey brand grow into a global icon.

The campaign, called “Make Your Mark,” is meant to serve as a lens through which the Beam Suntory-owned brand will filter all of its brand work as it moves to establish itself internationally, KK Hall, global brand VP, said in an interview. Its first ad taps into the notion of curiosity, reflected in the brand founders' move to remake their whiskey recipe nearly 70 years ago.

“It’s a real milestone for Maker’s Mark,” Hall said. “We have always made a beautiful liquid. We have an iconic status here in the United States. But we want to play a different role in consumers' lives, we want to show up in a relevant way, telling our story, so that we can inspire and celebrate those who ask ‘what if?’ Our greatest aspiration is to secure that iconic status globally, and we think this is a really strong component of that ambition.”

The first ad in the campaign is called “They Say” and is the first work for the brand from the agency Leo Burnett. It brings an action-movie-like compilation of cinematic vignettes showcasing the possibilities inherent in breaking with conventional wisdom. “They Say” was directed by music video and commercial director Henry Scholfield.  

The smashing windows, explosions and other special effects depicted in the ad signal an abrupt change from Maker’s Mark typical ads, which tend to lean into its heritage and history, using what Hall called the conventional codes of aged spirits and bourbon ads, such as wheat fields and cocktail bars.

“This time, we’ve decided to step out and show the consumer how we can show up in their life, how we can how we can ideally tell our story and inspire them to ask ‘what if?’ the way our founders did,” Hall said. “So we’ve tried to bring a much more contemporary approach to telling this story while also paying homage to that handcrafted spirit,” which the ad demonstrates by showing the brand dipping its bottle top in red wax by hand.

Also read: Jim Beam reveals new look in campaign from Leo Burnett

Leo Burnett, which was retained by Maker’s Mark earlier this year, is the global lead strategic and creative agency. Longtime shop Doe Anderson remains the brand’s U.S. lead agency, and is serving as a strategic partner on global, Hall said.

The new ad will debut in the U.S. today on streaming TV and online video, and premiere on broadcast TV in Canada and Australia next month. In 2024, the campaign is set to expand to the United Kingdom, Germany, Singapore and South Korea.

Marketing to a global audience means looking for “universal truths,” said Hall, and Maker’s Mark found that curiosity is one. “We know that premium spirits drinkers are curious, and they're always looking for discovery. So we’re tapping into this global consumer and doing so in a way that lands.”

Hall declined to cite ad spending figures but said the brand would shift support behind “Make Your Mark.”

“Everything we do will be looked at through this lens, not just media, all of the work that we do in from a consumer comms standpoint, to our limited editions and our commercial execution when it comes to actual media spend. Let’s just say a significant healthy portion of that will be placed against media distribution globally,” she said.

The global campaign also includes the relaunch of the brand’s global website and consumer ambassador program. The global brand experience will be supported with limited-edition product releases, among other promotions, the brand said.