Sailor Jerry rum gets $7m boost

US: William Grant has invested $7 million in a global digital marketing campaign for its Sailor Jerry rum brand.

The campaign features a compilation of “distinctive material from Sailor Jerry events, concerts and films all set to the seminal 1979 punk anthem Where Eagles Dare by The Misfits”.

The campaign kicked off with a digital film unveiled on the Sailor Jerry Facebook page. A US national TV campaign also began last month.

The film, produced by Quaker City Mercantile, will be supported by digital, print and outdoor advertising in addition to events, and social media activity across the brand’s digital channels.

The brand increased its global volume to 804,000 cases in 2011.

Enda O’Sullivan, Sailor Jerry global brand director said: “Over the past few years, we’ve seen a global surge for the Spiced Rum category, primarily in the US, Canada, UK and Australia. Sailor Jerry is recoginsed as a leader in the category and has long epitomised a hard-working, hard-playing lifestyle inspired by the legacy and values of Norman Collins. This film is a natural step in the brand’s growth and gives back to those who have joined us in celebrating Norman Collins’s legacy at our events and gigs around the world. It just made sense to use actual footage from our events, concerts and films in the campaign to celebrate Norman Collins, his legacy and those people who make up the Sailor Jerry community. This spot is an anthem for the man, the rum and the likeminded individuals out there.”