Collett Dickenson Pearce has dispensed with traditional Highland scenes
and tales of the centuries-old distilling process in its first work for
Isle of Jura Malt Whisky.
Instead, the agency has produced a spoof local newspaper, the Isle of
Jura Herald, which features typical parochial news stories, some of
which contain references to the whisky. Three million copies of the A4-
sized, four-page ‘newspaper’ will be inserted into upmarket publications
such as the Economist, the Times, the Telegraph, Country Life and the
Scotsman.
Until now, advertising for Isle of Jura had taken a straight press
advertising tack, and its move into humour follows the brand’s transfer
to Whyte and Mackay from its sister company, the Invergordon Distillers.
It also reflects an increase in the advertising budget from pounds
186,000 (Register-MEAL) to pounds 500,000 and the brand’s move to CDP.
Previous campaigns were created in-house or by Charles Barker Glasgow.
CDP already handles Whyte and Mackay Special Reserve whisky.
The CDP account director, Simon North, explained the new tactic: ‘In a
market typified by generic advertising, we wanted to make sure that our
work would stand out. By producing the Jura Herald we can build on the
emotional differences between the Isle of Jura malt and the other
hundred or so malts available.’
The campaign kicks off with a pre-Christmas burst and two editions of
the Herald. Further issues will be printed in the spring and summer. The
campaign was written by Frank Houston and art directed by Jon Tompkins.
