Jefferson’s Bourbon is 'Aged at the Mercy of the Sea' in Campaign from Tombras

Jefferson’s Bourbon introduces an all new, national advertising campaign for Jefferson’s Ocean, one of the fastest growing American Whiskeys in Pernod Ricard’s North America portfolio. Aged at the Mercy of the Sea embodies the brand’s adventurous and pioneering mindset, and captures the essence of Jefferson’s unique approach to the whiskey aging process. Consumers will embark on their own voyage and get a hint of Jefferson’s distinct flavors through this immersive campaign.

Aged at the Mercy of the Sea was shot in part on the ocean-faring research vessel OCEARCH. Enjoying a glass of whiskey with OCEARCH founder and friend from Kentucky, Jefferson’s founder Trey Zoeller observed the way the ocean movement affected the whiskey in their own glasses. The result was a hyper-aged, darker, richer, caramelised bourbon. Thirteen years and twenty-three voyages later, Jefferson’s Ocean is an undeniable success. 

Jefferson’s Ocean is a blend of straight bourbon that is hyper-aged at sea on ships that cross the Equator up to two times, visits five continents and anchor at over 25 ports on average while sailing. “This unique maturation process transforms our bourbon. The constant movement of the ocean and extreme temperature fluctuations as the ships traverse the globe deliver a whiskey that is dark, rich and caramelized,” said Trey Zoeller, founder of Jefferson’s.

“Jefferson’s Bourbon is a standout brand in the category and this campaign captures the right history, complex flavor and sea spirit that comes with every sip of Jefferson’s Ocean,” said Pam Forbus, CMO at Pernod Ricard North America. “Our goal is to establish that fact and differentiate the brand for consumers through memorable creative that gets everyone excited about the unique aging process and deliver on the adventurous mindset of our consumer. “ 

Penrod Ricard acquired Jefferson’s in 2019 and the brand has experienced dramatic expansion since it launched in 1997. To continue this trajectory and unleash the brand ethos and product proposition of this rich product, Pernod Ricard North America and Tombras, lead creative agency, have built a national campaign in partnership with acclaimed director Ole Peters to bring this to life through an infusion of live footage and state-of-art technology/CGI.

The campaign launches on May 26, 2021 and is inclusive of a 30-second spot supported by CTV/OTT, digital and social efforts.