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A Legend 200 Years in the Making

Crafting an epic brand anthem video for Buffalo Trace Distillery.

Background

Buffalo Trace Distillery is a special place. For over 200 years, the Frankfort, Kentucky landmark has become a center of innovation in bourbon-making, including the first to use steam heat in the distilling process – and the first to produce single-barrel bourbon.

Through challenges like floods, fires – and Prohibition – BTD has persevered, honoring tradition while embracing change to produce some of the finest bourbons in the world. Without a doubt, BTD has a rich story to tell, and when they asked BCH to produce a brand-anthem video capturing the enduring ethos of the distillery, we couldn’t wait to take a shot.

INDUSTRY

Spirits

SERVICES

Consumer Research
Brand Management
Script Writing
Videography
Animation
Video Production

Strategic Approach

Before we could begin writing about the ethos and culture of BTD, we performed consumer research to gain a better understanding of what people value in well-made bourbons. Words like independence, pioneering, leadership and history were high ranking.

We then built a brand platform to outline BTD’s attributes, features and benefits, personality, values and brand promise. These insights would serve as northstars for the video concepts.

Also, because BTD makes more products than just Buffalo Trace Bourbon (about 20 more, to be exact), it was critical to ensure all brands made at BTD were represented in the video.

Creative Solution

Leadership is in the DNA of the BTD brand. The distillery has long been regarded as an innovator across the industry, and it continues to push bourbon-making forward while honoring traditions that are so central to bourbon craft and culture.

However, BTD’s leadership and innovation doesn’t just materialize out of thin air. It starts with curiosity – by challenging the status quo – and, ultimately, mustering the courage to ask the question “What if?”

This question became the thread that ran throughout the video, which outlines the innovations BTD has brought to bourbon lovers over the past two centuries.

Results

Won Gold in American Advertising Federation US Regionals