Captain Morgan Black Spiced Rum

DIAGNOSTIC
With serious competition from newer rums, whiskies and other brown spirits, Captain Morgan had to stake its claim as leader of the Spiced Rum category to keep the brand and its products relevant to a new generation of consumers.

When Diageo asked us to create a breakthrough brand launch kit to engage internal teams, bartenders and of course, the press, a lot of work was already in place (the liquid, the bottle, label designs, and name for example). It was up to us to create the brand positioning and brand story to communicate the functional and emotional benefits of this new offering.

Our goal was to dramatize the “darker side of Captain Morgan” to show that this is a seriously bold, authentic Spiced Rum and to tell the awesome, true-life legend of Captain Henry Morgan. We knew our proprietary brand-building process, Creative Concepting™ would deliver and got started on thematic and creative direction and moodboards that would influence our Kit Designs, Brand Books, Brand Voice and Premium Items. Consumption, Gatekeeper and Digital Activation Thought-starters were part of our needs assessment (and future deliverable) too.

IDEATION
We focused on a few different messages: The newness of the product launch, a more sophisticated take on the Captain Morgan brand and the balance between "bold and masculine" with something that's fun.

We developed three concepts that would also guide the creation of the messaging and materials and could influence other areas as well. Along with our client, we decided on a creative direction: A dark interpretation that would recast the classic Captain character and brand story for today's brown spirit enthusiasts. Authenticity, credible ingredients and process, along with complex taste would become the hallmarks of a new, completely rethought Captain Morgan.

VISUALIZATION
We designed the kit to feel like a contemporary version of a Captain’s chest. With a modern take on black woodgrain and old world type, it also extends the graphic language developed for the label. We created the brand book to evoke the Henry Morgan legend and share tasting notes and recipes through black and white photography, woodcut illustrations and vintage type – all with an authoritative, confident persona and smart language. To educate and empower people to experience everything that Captain Morgan Black Spiced Rum had to offer and drive home the point that this rum can replace other brown spirits, we included a flask, whiskey stones and bottle of bitters.

IMPLEMENTATION & RESULTS
Coordinating our in-house work along with our strategic partners was a huge part of this project. Our industry-expert copywriter used our concept as a guide while writing the brand book content. We worked with an amazing prop stylist and art directed a shoot with one of the best photographers in the spirits genre. We designed and sourced the brand book, box and promotional items from Vermont, Minnesota and China. Managing our printing and fulfillment partner was crucial in the final steps toward bringing the Captain Morgan Black Spiced Rum launch kit to life.

Our client was thrilled with the work and wrote, "You'll be happy to know that the kit continues to be received amazingly. Our President took one look and immediately had us send several of them to the Global President in the UK, so your amazing work has literally started to travel around the world."

Captain Morgan has risen from the dead. Drink up!

CHEST

CHEST INTERIOR

BRAND BOOK

COCKTAIL PHOTOGRAPHS