Show of power to promote whiskey

<p>SINGAPORE: Liquor conglomerate Seagram is pouring promotional </p><p>dollars on its super premium Royal Salute whiskey brand with a </p><p>television commercial showing actors, dressed in extravagant costumes, </p><p>representing human chess pieces that take their directions from two </p><p>powerful businessmen perched on a mountain top. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The commercial by TBWA, launching first in Taiwan on November 26 </p><p>followed by other markets, was filmed on the same New Zealand beach as </p><p>the Academy award-winning film The Piano. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>About 250 people worked on the shoot, including a team of costume </p><p>designers who drew their inspiration for the black and white costumes, </p><p>from fashion designer Alexander McQueen and fashion house </p><p>Balenciaga. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The campaign strategy - built around the tagline "For Power Players" - </p><p>aims to position Royal Salute as a symbol of wealth and power. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"This brand is for people who aren't fazed about spending a great deal </p><p>of money to get what they perceive to be the most luxurious product," </p><p>said Justin Barry, TBWA chief operating officer, who was the strategist </p><p>on the campaign. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"The core reason behind this product is that it is given as a very </p><p>public gesture," he said. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"So it's about (powerful) men coming together and marking the </p><p>moment. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"And when a man gives Royal Salute to another man, the gesture is a </p><p>power play ... it's about making a big statement." </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Saying that the commercial attempted to pick up on this dynamic, Barry </p><p>added that the chess game was a metaphor for this power play. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"The chessboard is a fairly simple way of bringing some drama to the </p><p>commercial," said Barry. "We didn't want to be banal (like other luxury </p><p>marketers) and stick in other obvious luxury items and say 'we're a bit </p><p>like one of those', which is borrowed interest." </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Seagram is targeting mostly corporate leaders who purchase the product </p><p>to mark significant business occasions such as mergers and </p><p>acquisitions. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The secondary target are those who get together with their male </p><p>colleagues and drink scotch at expensive karaoke clubs as a way of </p><p>bonding and flaunting their power and wealth. </p><p><BR><BR> </p>