Challenge

Established in 1703, Mount Gay Rum is the oldest rum and continually produced spirit in the world. Today, it is both beloved by consumers and a favorite of bartenders.

In 2016, Mount Gay recognized that bartenders across the United States were creating delicious, classically-inspired cocktails with their spirit. They also recognized that consumers were thirsty for fresh cocktail recipes to craft at home. What if consumers could access a digital database of these recipes?

The first step was for the brand’s national sales team to collect their favorite regional creations, totaling 71 recipes from 18 cities. Next, they needed to organize these drinks and capture authentic, diverse photography and video to create the Mount Gay Original Craft Cocktail Library.

Insights

Consumers largely rely upon brands to tell them what to do with their product; by creating a recipe resource on an owned brand channel, the brand site becomes a trusted source of information, giving consumers a reason to visit often and subscribe.

One of the most crucial factors when presenting recipes and corresponding imagery is consistency. Consumers expect their finished result will mirror the recipe; if not, they will doubt the authenticity of the brand and lose trust. Consistency is best achieved when all parties involved in the production are experts in the subject matter.

Solution

Recognizing that a specialized agency was needed for the task, Mount Gay Rum hired Ford Media Lab to organize and photograph the recipes, as well as source materials and unique glassware, coordinate logistics, provide talent and secure locations for a series of instructional cocktail videos.

Based on a recipe alone, FML’s in-house team of award-winning mixologists was able to decipher how the cocktail would appear if ordered from the creator – from glassware to garnish. By utilizing a photographer with unparalleled expertise in cocktails, the resulting images were authentic representations, serving to properly highlight the talent of the bartender and versatility of Mount Gay Rum.

Results

71 studio cocktail images, photographed for web application with white/transparent background.
17 lifestyle cocktail images, photographed in an award-winning cocktail bar with a variety of textures to offer the look of varied cities.
Compilation of a master sheet of cocktail recipe data, accounting for every detail.