Jim Beam partners with Mila Kunis for first-ever global campaign directed by NZ’s Nathan Price
Jim Beam and award-nominated actress Mila Kunis are teaming up to “make history” in 2014 and beyond in the bourbon brand’s first-ever global campaign via FutureWorks, a partnership between three independent agencies who lead Jim Beam creative efforts in key markets: StrawberryFrog (New York), The Works (Sydney) and Jung von Matt (Hamburg).
The spots, directed by NZ director Nathan Price via Auckland-based production company Ruskin, were shot in New Zealand and LA.
Late last year Price, who is ranked in Campaign Brief’s Top 10 directors in Asia/Australia, was selected to direct the three ads in the campaign and under the guidance of The Works executive producer Craig Bolles plans for the LA and Auckland shoots were put into place ensuring that every second of Kunis’ limited time was maximized.
Filming of ‘Questions’ started on day two in LA with the Back to the Future barn turned into Jim Beam’s first crude distillery with Kunis posing the question “History asks questions of us all, even the Beam family.”
The spot then transitions to a fire at a Jim Beam rack house where the barrels of Jim Beam are aged, representing some of the calamities to have hit the brand during its history. A scene referencing the American Civil War and how it affected the production of Jim Beam follows. Prohibition in the 1920s is also covered with the spot highlighting how Jim Beam got its stills up and running just 100 days after the ban of the sale of alcohol ended.
The film then transitions from the 1950s through to the 1970s and 1980s to demonstrate while fads and fashions change, Jim Beam has stood the test of time. It finishes with Kunis sitting around a fire with friends drinking a Jim Beam asking the question “This is how Jim Beam makes history, how will you make yours?”
While all the scenes featuring Kunis were shot on the Disney lot accompanied by a 100 strong cast and crew, all remaining scenes including the torching of a specially built 15-meter tall rack house façade were filmed in Auckland with a cast and crew numbering 120.
In New Zealand and Australia, the ads will appear across multiple media properties, as well as in media properties across the globe.
The Make History campaign will also be featured in retail materials and content on Jim Beam’s website, Facebook and Twitter.