How do you make V.S.O.P cognac new and unexpected? You create new recipes for the liquid. Or you hire a big-time pop star to make the brand her spirit of choice.
Martell chose to do both. Martell is now working with Grammy-nominated recording artist Janelle Monáe who stars in a new brand campaign, “Soar Beyond the Expected,” featuring the brand’s Blue Swift label.
Throughout the partnership, Monáe will also work in tandem with Martell to highlight and support philanthropic efforts that will further the reach of the “Standout Swift” mentality and drive change when and where possible.
“I have tried to use my platform to make a change in areas that I can be of service to while supporting those who are underrepresented,” says Monáe. “It is incredibly important that my partners not only support this line of thinking, but they mirror these values and give back to these communities that I care deeply about.
Since Martell’s founding, the brand has been opening doors within the cognac category and pushing the boundaries of innovation, as embodied by Martell’s Blue Swift expression. As the first cognac house to ship its barrels to America in 1793, Martell Blue Swift is a celebration of the brand’s historic ties with the U.S., made of V.S.O.P cognac matured in French oak casks and finished in Kentucky bourbon barrels.
“Martell’s ‘Soar Beyond the Expected’ campaign marks an exciting new chapter for Martell and comes at a time when the cognac category is experiencing explosive growth,” says Pamela Forbus, CMO of Pernod Ricard North America. “Cognac is the second-fastest-growing spirits category in the U.S. and we’re confident Martell’s portfolio is perfectly poised to meet consumer demand.”
BBH USA created the “Standout Swift” campaign for Martell to demonstrate the audacious spirit at the heart of the brand.
