Captain Morgan is today unveiling its biggest ever global responsible drinking campaign in partnership with multi-award-winning singer, songwriter and rapper Bree Runway, calling on people around the world to ‘Enjoy Slow’ and moderate their drinking.
Following the launch of Captain Morgan’s Spice On campaign in Summer 2022, the latest global campaign features Bree Runway and her smooth, slow jam remix of 90’s track, ‘Rhythm of the Night’; encouraging people to sip slowly.
The up-tempo song was chosen not only for its significance as one of the most prominent dance classics of the 90s, but also for its lyrics. Echoing the words, this is the rhythm of the night, ‘Enjoy Slow’ encourages drinkers to set their own pace, and not be afraid to say no to a drink or another round. The ambition is to normalise moderation in social settings as aspirational and fun, contributing towards Diageo’s Spirit of Progress ambition of reaching 1 billion consumers with moderation messages by 2030.
Having risen to fame and burst onto the music scene with her own spin on iconic anthems, Bree Runway has been nominated for Best New International Act as well as the Brits Rising Star award and in November last year, appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine in the UK. Her unique genre bending style has given the party track a laid-back feel, reimagining it for a new audience.
Bree Runway said: “This collaboration felt like a natural fit for me as I actually started out doing mashups and my own versions of songs. Rhythm of the Night is such a well-known, fast-paced track and slowing it down has been a fun experience that really brings the message of moderation to life in a creative way. It goes to prove that just because something is slower, doesn’t mean it’s less enjoyable. Less alcohol doesn’t mean less fun. The entire process has been so collaborative, I’ve felt very connected to the campaign.”
Samori Gambrah, Global Brand Director of Captain Morgan, said: “We want to use the power of our marketing and partnerships to make responsible drinking celebratory and a social and cultural norm. The ‘Enjoy Slow’ campaign is all about people setting their own pace and not being afraid to say no to a drink or another round. Captain Morgan is a brand that’s about spice, individuality and fun and Bree is the perfect partner for the project as she possesses all these qualities in spades.”
Jocelyn Anquetil was appointed to direct the campaign, the campaign was developed by Virtue Worldwide, the creative agency powered by VICE Media Group and produced by Pulse Films.
Jocelyn Anquetil, Director, Pulse Films, said: “Directing this campaign was a creative challenge, creating a world where the pace slows down but doesn’t compromise on energy and warm, fun vibes. It’s definitely not what we’re used to but I feel like the collision of these opposing forces really paid off. And having worked with Bree before I knew she was the perfect personality to deliver the message of the project – no one’s telling her what to do, she just does what she feels, and in this case, she’s taking it slooooow and no one can tell her otherwise!”
Nate Woodhead, Executive Creative Director, Virtue, said: “We learnt from consumer testing that in order to create an effective responsible drinking campaign, we needed it to be fun and land in a way that feels positive. Music is an incredibly impactful tool for storytelling and the lyrics in Rhythm of the Night worked perfectly to share our important message around moderation. Pairing that song with Bree’s laid back, mellow vibes really brought to life the creative vision of the campaign.”
The global ‘Enjoy Slow’ campaign consists of an omni channel launch that includes digital and broadcast that will initially launch in Great Britain and South Africa this Spring, followed by markets across Eastern Europe and around the world. The first set of media plans are set to deliver over 163 million impressions across the UK and South Africa alone.
The ‘Enjoy Slow’ campaign is part of Captain Morgan’s broader commitment to responsible drinking. Captain Morgan continues to leverage relationships with US sports associations to encourage the consumption of water and has recently partnered with THINK! in the UK to tackle drink driving.