Results and Impacts

Our campaign for Bowmore worked so well it won 2 Gold Effectiveness Awards in the Scottish IPA awards. Bowmore Single Malt Scotch Whisky was once a small and relatively unknown brand. In 3 years, the Gate’s innovative campaign moved Bowmore from 9th position to 6th in the malt league. Bowmore became the best selling Islay malt, with sales in multiple grocers increasing from 33% to 74%. In years 4-5 of the campaign, the brand was so strong it retained its price and held its value share of the market while others were forced to discount.

The Challenge and Objectives

Bowmore is a sophisticated, smoky whisky from the island of Islay. When The Gate were approached to create the campaign, the large supermarket multiples were not distributing it, and there was a significant threat of de-listing. Bowmore needed to build volume and market share – but not at the expense of value. It also needed to strengthen its distribution in the larger supermarket chains. The Gate’s challenge was to get the brand noticed by both trade and consumer – and create a luxury international brand image that would differentiate it from other malts.

Our strategy

Our research told us that the Bowmore drinker was younger and more adventurous than the typical malt drinker. This insight gave us an opportunity to break the mould of traditional whisky marketing and do something different. Taking inspiration from the whisky’s distinctive smoky taste and its roots in Islay, we tried to capture a more offbeat, esoteric spirit in keeping with Bowmore’s brand and audience. The ‘Smoke On The Water’ campaign was developed around the ancient folk legends of Islay, then art directed in a bold, contemporary way.