ABOUT

CONCEPT:
No.3 Gin, the multi-award-winning spirit created by London’s oldest wine and spirit merchant, Berry Bros. & Rudd, approached us with a challenge. With the relaunch of the new bottle, we were tasked to create the new brand platform and campaign that embodied the flawless liquid. Their mission? To become a beacon of undisputed quality within the congested world of gins.

In a market flooded with the spirit, how could a Gin voted Best in the World four times stand out from the crowd? With over 315 distilleries in the UK alone, and as many as 600 brands on the market, No.3 Gin wanted us to shine a spotlight on their supreme spirit and show consumers why it was so special. It is a gin that was created to be the best, by the best – the only man in the world with a PhD in Gin, Dr. David Clutton. Traditionally distilled with only three key natural ingredients – juniper, citrus and spice – No.3 is the epitome of a truly classic London Dry Gin – a gin just as gin should be.

This campaign would need to appeal to a distinct group of individuals – a discerning group of 25-45 year olds, with a passion for the perfect gin taste. They prioritise trusted credibility over fads and trends. Progressive individuals, always looking ahead and striving for perfection, but who still value tradition, and craftsmanship. They would look to a brand that reflected their values and ambitions.

The new brand platform, entitled The Art of Perfection, was inspired by the distilling artisans behind No.3 who combine passion and precision to create the World’s Best Gin. At first glance at the liquid, you could say that it looks like any other gin – a perfectly clear liquid. But in order to bring it’s captivating nature to life, we would need to pull back the curtain and show our audience what lied beneath it all. Get them up close and personal with the product. How close? 40X closer.

EXECUTION:
We brought the beauty of No.3 to life by capturing what the World’s Best Gin, its key serves, and its ingredients looked like under the microscope. What it revealed was a remarkable kaleidoscopic world of colours – distinct micro landscapes that looked more like abstract paintings than beverages. With all its accolades over the years, many have said it is a true work of it - but now our consumers could truly see and experience it for themselves.

To create the Art of Perfection, we reached out to New York based artist and micro-photographer, Justin Zoll, to collaborate with him on bringing the unparalleled world of No.3 to life. With an innovative and experimental method of photography, he crystalised and froze elements of No.3 Gin before magnifying them by 40X to capture the stunning details of No.3 Gin that lie beneath – invisible to the naked eye.

“By photographing samples of gin and its components on a microscopic scale, in their purest form, irreducible without losing their character, we have been able to illustrate this spirit of purity,” Justin Zoll explains.

What it revealed was an incredible abstract world – a dramatic landscape of colour within the finer details. It is these details that separate the exceptional from the acceptable. Making No.3 not just a liquid masterpiece, but a visual masterpiece too.

We framed them like the masterpieces they are, labelled them as a piece of art (title artist, medium, description), and created a citywide exhibition for all to see. Our collateral a canvas, the world our gallery. Our design was flexible enough to be applied everywhere as posters and oh OOH digital screens across the city. We also made a major splash of colour across store windows across the city, on tote bags, and of course social media. The new platform made its debut at London design Festival. What followed was a series of eye-catching activations and exclusive tasting events, where they could take a master-class led by the UK’s top barmen, enjoy the serves and receive a complimentary Gin print of their favourite one from the evening. And for those looking to bring the masterpiece into their own home, bespoke packaging and gifts bags.

RESULTS:
In the category, people couldn’t tear their eyes away from the vivid artworks of No.3 Gin and people started asking for No.3 by name. Harvey Nichols approached No.3 and offered up a store-front window display at a discounted rate for the Art of Perfection in the lead up to Christmas – golden real estate especially during the festive season.

The Savoy’s American Bar, one of the oldest and most iconic bar’s in London also requested to feature No.3 as their gin of the month – something you would usually have to pay for, gave us even more free PR during the course of the campaign.

But most importantly, we have the stats to prove what a success the campaign was – and still is. Since the launch, average social engagements saw an increase from 4.92% to 5.63%, with 370,997 impressions in our paid launch plan.
But best of all, during the period October, November, and December, Berry Bros. & Rudd sales were up 50% year on year, and 48% through Amazon – with no signs of slowing.

The Art of Perfection is an exquisite reflection of what goes into make the World’s Best Gin. It’s a campaign that cut through the clutter in a simple yet mesmerizing way. A campaign as considered, and as beautiful, as the drink itself.