Many people would still regard whisky as an old man’s drink. But Pernod Ricard, owner of global number two brand Ballantine’s, has been chipping away at that perception for some time now. 

Since 2007, it has based marketing activity for Ballantine’s around the strapline “Leave an Impression”. Initially used as the theme of a global advertising campaign, more recently the strapline has acted as the platform for some pretty quirky PR and experiential activity centred around offbeat art and individuality. 

Human API 

A lot of the brand’s execution activity has involved art installations and music. But this year it is really pushing back the boundaries with a piece of digital activity centred on what it calls human API. 

In a nutshell, the campaign (created by digital agency Work Club) uses social networking sites like Facebook to give online users an artist’s POV on off-the-wall creations. Recently, for example, visitors to Ballantine’s Facebook page could watch a live stream of Paris-based tattoo artist K.A.R.L as he tattooed a regular customer. They could also suggest colours and variations to his tattoo design. 

Bizarreness 

As if that isn’t enough bizarreness for one campaign, K.A.R.L also embedded a Quick Response (QR) Code in the customer’s tattoo. Once this QR Code was captured by a smartphone, it immediately triggered a piece of customised animation viewable on the phone. 

Correcting tweedy image 

Aside from K.A.R.L., the Ballantine’s campaign also features an ice sculptor and a graffiti artist, using the same human API approach to get inside the mind of the people creating the work. It’s a very cool approach – and does a lot to correct the image of the tweedy gent enjoying a wee dram in the 19^th hole of his local golf club.