Show of power to promote whiskey

SINGAPORE: Liquor conglomerate Seagram is pouring promotional

dollars on its super premium Royal Salute whiskey brand with a

television commercial showing actors, dressed in extravagant costumes,

representing human chess pieces that take their directions from two

powerful businessmen perched on a mountain top.

The commercial by TBWA, launching first in Taiwan on November 26

followed by other markets, was filmed on the same New Zealand beach as

the Academy award-winning film The Piano.

About 250 people worked on the shoot, including a team of costume

designers who drew their inspiration for the black and white costumes,

from fashion designer Alexander McQueen and fashion house

Balenciaga.

The campaign strategy - built around the tagline "For Power Players" -

aims to position Royal Salute as a symbol of wealth and power.

"This brand is for people who aren't fazed about spending a great deal

of money to get what they perceive to be the most luxurious product,"

said Justin Barry, TBWA chief operating officer, who was the strategist

on the campaign.

"The core reason behind this product is that it is given as a very

public gesture," he said.

"So it's about (powerful) men coming together and marking the

moment.

"And when a man gives Royal Salute to another man, the gesture is a

power play ... it's about making a big statement."

Saying that the commercial attempted to pick up on this dynamic, Barry

added that the chess game was a metaphor for this power play.

"The chessboard is a fairly simple way of bringing some drama to the

commercial," said Barry. "We didn't want to be banal (like other luxury

marketers) and stick in other obvious luxury items and say 'we're a bit

like one of those', which is borrowed interest."

Seagram is targeting mostly corporate leaders who purchase the product

to mark significant business occasions such as mergers and

acquisitions.

The secondary target are those who get together with their male

colleagues and drink scotch at expensive karaoke clubs as a way of

bonding and flaunting their power and wealth.