2019 Winners & Shortlists

Background.

Whisky or SCOTCH 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. and the passed on urban myth; Egyptian Whisky that can turn you blind, was more amplified than ever. The brief was to introduce Devlin, the first Egyptian Single Malt Whisky introduced by the malt experts, Heineken, had to match the international standards to whisky packaging the international standards to intrigue interest and initiate trial. The objective was to intrigue trial to eventually overcome the perceptual barrier regardless of the beverage origin.

Describe the creative idea.

YOU WERE HERE 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) was not for everyone. It was only for the precise hunters; the mature assertive 35 year olds, 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 precisie 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 designed with flat lines to give off the minimal modernized look that strikes Devlin against internally acknowledged whisky brands; a 750ml sleek rectangular bottle can be mistaken for a boutique perfume bottle. Devlin was only for the precise hunters, only men with selective choices. Those hunters were represented by the eagle. The embossed eagle was crafted with sharp edges and a modernized metallic titanium finish to emphasize the new era of whisky. The brand’s identity was complemented by a combination textures. The tinted mirrors were used to shed more emphasis of the sleep design. The rusty copper matched up the deep color of the whisky. The graphite slates were all about the sophistication of the drink. The white linen gave it a modern feel. The raw wood was the element that created the contrast between the authenticity of the drink against the the modern Devlin.

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.