How live sports broadcasts and digital, social, and event activations will be critical to the campaign's success.
Content
As Bacardi’s Global Vice President of Creative, Laila Mignoni is responsible for creative excellence across all Bacardi brands. Under Mignoni’s leadership, Bacardi has seen substantial volume and sales growth globally –results primarily driven by the innovative change in how the brand communicates with its consumers and recruits through relevance building. A pillar of Bacardi’s marketing is the global ‘Do What Moves You platform,’ under which Bacardi marketing does a series of 360 activations, including events, paid media (social, digital, and traditional), and PR. Bacardi Marketing agency partners are BBDO (creative), OMD for media buying, and Nike for PR.
Portada talked to Mignoni about the ins and outs of the partnership with pop superstar Camila Cabello as the brand’s new face, Cabello recently kicked off a multi-year partnership under Bacardi’s Do What Moves You platform.
Influencer Selection: Camila Cabello
Influencer selection is a critical factor for the success of influencers and overall marketing campaigns. Bacardi recently selected American GRAMMY-nominated singer and songwriter Karla Camila Cabello Estrabao as the brand’s new face, kicking off a multi-year partnership under the BACARDÍ global Do What Moves You platform. The partnership was initiated with a 360-degree campaign; this 30-second film celebrates BACARDÍ and Camila’s shared Caribbean heritage and their passion for music and movement. Directed by CANADA co-founder Nicolás Méndez (Rosalia, Tame Impala, Travis Scott), the spot features the popstar moving to the beat of her new track ‘I LUV IT’ as the soundwaves from the song come to life and culminate in a joyous, communal block party complete with BACARDÍ cocktails. The BACARDÍ Camila Cabello campaign celebrates the vibrant spirit of Cabello’s new music and the brand’s longstanding passion for bringing together community through movement and self-expression.
When asked how Bacardi marketing approaches influencer selection, Laila Mignoni notes that it is all about “common sense, brand fit, and chemistry.” “Data plays a big role in the influencer selection process as a validation and optimization tool,” Mignoni adds.
“Data plays a big role in the influencer selection process as a validation and optimization tool.”
Influencers tend to belong to diverse audiences. This is also the case of Camila Cabello. “She is from Cuba, like the BACARDÍ brand. She was born in Cuba and grew up in Miami; her dad is Mexican. It’s the same story in many ways, like Bacardi. It’s an homage to the Miami melting pot,” Mignoni claims.
Bacardi Marketing: Global Campaign
The Bacardi Camilla Cabello campaign is global. “It’s a fan-first campaign with a very strong musical component; we define it very simply; it’s music that makes you move.” “It’s all about joyfulness, togetherness, energy, light, sunshine, mojitos, self-expression, and removing the feeling of being judged. This functionally leads to the product.”
Bacardi Marketing: Media Buys
Bacardi’s Global Vice President of Creative, Laila Mignoni
Bacardi’s largest markets are, in this order, the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Germany, and the UK, and in all of these markets, the 360 global campaign is making a solid investment. Bacardi uses a globally developed media connections strategy to buy media locally.
Other European countries, Asia, and Latin America are also part of the campaign, with Australia being activated later this year. According to Mignoni, media buys in the U.S. are primarily focused on live sports, including “ESPN, TNT, with a strong focus on NBA matches.” Streaming platforms include YouTube, Vevo, Hulu, Disney, and Paramount. Bacardi marketing will be activating custom partnerships with Spotify and Snapchat. City takeovers in crucial markets like Miami, London, New York, and Amsterdam are planned with Snapchat. “We see a shift in investment reflected in an increase in audio (including Spotify, podcasts, radio, and audio placements). Digital OOH media will also be used. Mignoni adds that each social media platform is considered a native creative asset. Videos and supporting materials were produced during a 4-day shoot.
Social media buys and formats include:
Meta (suite of 6-second videos, mostly on IG and a bit of FB, mainly in Europe)
YT (long form through Vevo; 30s and 15s).
X: The key criteria for social media selection is that is visual and sound heavy, so not a priority channel.
Bacardi is not using AI in this campaign: “We want to make sure AI adds value and is purposeful,” Mignoni maintains.
Bacardi Marketing: Events
Events are very important for the “Do What Moves You” platform. Events and influencer activations at these events allow for the creation and amplification of contextually relevant content, as Jaime Keller, Brand Director of Bombay Sapphire Gin for North America at Bacardi, recently explained. Mignoni tells Portada that events around Halloween are critical – as the holiday is second in spirits consumption after New Year’s Eve. For events, Bacardi has a partnership with LiveNation, which promotes, operates, and manages ticket sales for live entertainment functions.
Bacardi 2024 Festivals are:
Tortuga
Dreamville
EDC Vegas
Suenos
Lollapalooza
Outside Lands
Escape Halloween (October, Miami)
EDC Orlando
Editorial Staff @portada_online
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