Havana Club was in need of a refresh. They knew they needed to start talking to the younger generation or risk getting left behind. They came to us with a brilliant ambition: they wanted to be a cult brand. So we set out to create a new global strategy and brand for Havana Club to recruit the next generation of rum drinkers.
Havana Club had an amazing offering: they had a great brand, product, and strong Cuban roots. All we had to do was to find a way to bring that to new consumers. We knew the younger generation was aligning with street culture and achieving status through exclusivity. The youth were looking instead towards brands that were powerful, visual and full of attitude that could inspire them.
So we drew on our Cuban roots: bringing raw, low-fi and DIY aesthetics to Havana Club. We’d embraced the high-low lifestyle – bringing just the right amount of glamour to the streets, and bad-ass trashiness to the luxe. We’d be brand proud, embracing our identity with confidence, and most importantly… we’d not take ourselves too seriously.
We created the anti-style guide for Havana Club, where rules were meant to be broken. After all, we should all have a bit of fun, right?
Our new strategy has lead to collaborations like Havana Club x Daily Paper, which saw the streetwear brand working with French rap artists in Cuba. The capsule collection sold out in days.
CREDITS
Creative director Michael Scantlebury
Strategy director Dan Deeks Osburn
Design director Adeline Chong
Senior designer Davide Baratta
Designers Harry Vincent & Andres Clerc
Senior Account Director Lauren McGregor
Account Manager Jago Manari
Copywriter Alex Kosterman
Art Director Sarah Burrows
Project Manager Harriet Masters
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