ABOUT

Concept
When Glenfiddich launched ‘Fire & Cane’ - a peated single malt finished in latin rum casks - they wanted a campaign which pushed creative boundaries.

The Clients vision required a bottle of Glenfiddich to be submerged in smoke, with sugar crystals growing wild behind the product. This kind of shot was not only impractical, but impossible to achieve via traditional photography alone. However, in CGI we have the beauty of particle effects at our disposal, and Space (agency) approached Bomper Studio and photographer Jonathan Knowles to create visuals that drive desire for it’s unique flavour profile.

Execution
The spot highlights the two primary flavours of the new release - campfire smokiness and sweet toffee - with macro shots of crystallising sugar, smoke and flames - communicating to viewers the primal elements which make up the whisky. Innovative liquid photography was used to showcase the smoke whilst CGI organic sugar crystals were created. The 3D scene was lit, textured and rendered using Cinema4D, and finally retouched to match the live footage and capture the caramels and oranges of the liquor. Further smoke was also created to give the hero shot further depth and mystery. The 20” film runs in reverse order, opening with the product beauty shot and uses vignettes as a disruptive visual challenge to the somewhat traditional and stuffy category norms.

Results
The end result is a beautifully crafted and visceral campaign which brings to life the brand’s maverick spirit. Fire & Cane is a first of its kind for Glenfiddich. It shows the power of a question by boldly asking, what if ...? and how it can lead you on a journey to challenge conventions. The highly distinctive hero shot in the campaign is the epitome of this. 

As well as garnering rave reviews from both Space and the end client, the visuals went on to be launched as part of a global campaign across social, and kicked off with a 5-second teaser video. It will also feature short-form AV assets, Out of Home and print, with interactive social assets such as Facebook canvases and Instagram polls, as well as experiential and sampling.
More so, it was great to create striking visuals merge the limitless capabilities of CGI with the endless detail and realism of photography. In the end, achieving the stunningly impossible!


Credits
Client: Glenfiddich
Agency: Space
Creative Director: Greg McAlinden
Art Director: Ethan Kennedy
Creative Head: Andy Preston
Producer: Shura Castellvi-Kellhofer
Business Director: James Wootton
VFX Production: Bomper Studio
Production Houses – Whitehouse, Cheat, Youngster, Bomper
Sound – Factory, WeAreFather