2019 Winners & Shortlists

Background.

Whisky has always been part of the Egyptian culture. But with the import restrictions on alcoholic beverages, cheaper scotch knockoffs have been widely sold over the years, resulting in the poor-quality perception of Egyptian alcoholic beverages over time. The brief was to introduce Devlin, the first Egyptian Single Malt Whisky, that is brought by the malt experts, Heineken. With the sophisticated category dynamics, Devlin had to match up the international criteria of whisky to intrigue consumer interest and initiate trial. The objective was to induce trial to overcome the perceptual barrier.

Describe the creative idea.

Devlin is a modern classic; the first premium Single Malt Whisky, crafted and distilled in Egypt. Every bottle took its time in the making. It was about celebrating uniqueness and originality. You take it from here & make it your own. Leave your mark. You were here.

Describe the strategy.

With the sophisticated nature of Whisky, Devlin (meaning Bravery) has chosen an aspirational target to feature, the precise hunters; the mature assertive 35-year old’s, who are interested only in specific things in life. Their self-actualization comes from impressing their peers (even if subtly) when they bring something original to the table. Since whisky was all about experience; the experience journey was crafted around our precise hunters, from bottle design, the bar displays, to the subliminal messaging that is associated with the use of the specified textures and materials.

Describe the execution.

The design was about flat lines to give off the minimal modernized look that strikes Devlin against the norm of the Whisky packaging, and other acknowledged whisky brands; a 750ml sleek rectangular that outshines in distinctiveness. Devlin is for the precise hunters, men with selective choices. Those hunters were represented by the eagle, which was embossed and crafted with sharp edges and a modernized metallic titanium finish to emphasize the new era of whisky. The brand’s identity was complemented by many textures. Tinted mirrors were used to shed more emphasis of the sleep design. Copper matched up the deep color of the whisky (hinted copper pots of the distillation process). The graphite slates were about the sophistication of the drink. The white linen gave it a modern feel. The raw wood (reflecting the oak barrels of aging) created the contrast between the authenticity of the drink and the Devlin's modernity.

List the results.

With the selectively of Devlin, it was sampled in a series of events with private crowds. While the brand is still in the soft launch phase; the brand reach has a around 10,000 Egyptian influencers & connoisseurs that have taken conversations forward.