Havana Club takes Cuban Mode campaign global

Cuban rum brand Havana Club has debuted its new global multi-media campaign, called Cuban Mode.

The campaign, which will predominantly be hosted online and in OOH (out of home) locations, was developed by Yard in collaboration with creative agency Sid Lee. It is said to ‘embrace the infectious spirit of Cuba’, by inviting consumers to ‘switch their Cuban mode on’.

Centred around the brand’s portfolio, the campaign has been designed to ‘capture the essence of Cuba’ by combining the country’s ‘iconic’ landmarks with vibrant party scenes via a journey through one Cuban home.

Speaking to The Spirits Business, Havana Club’s global brand director, Ludmilla Stephkov, explained: “The Cuban heritage of the brand is something we have always had at the heart of our communications.

“With this new campaign, we wanted to celebrate Cuba as a mindset and a way of life, and we wanted to invite everyone to experience its creative energy wherever they are by switching on their Cuban mode, which means experiencing and sharing this creative and collective Cuban energy, known as La Cubanía. This is the centre of what we do at Havana Club.

“We want everyone to understand our energy and values, and how this cultural dimension is captured in every single bottle of Havana Club.

“Our advertising objective is to reinforce something that is very important to us, and that is our cultural relevancy, in order to continue to attract new consumers and to nourish the Cuban experience.”

The Cuban Mode campaign has been created under the direction of Aisultan Seitov, best known for his work with rap artists including Offset, 21 Savage, and Tyler the Creator, alongside imagery from UK photographer Jack Bridgland, known for editorial shoots for Rosalìa and Twilight star Robert Pattinson.

Each vignette from the film heroes a different Havana Club expression, while the voiceover describes the “contagious spirit that flows across all generations…making you want to grab life in all its colours, shapes and forms”.

This element of the campaign was “more organic than scientific”,  Stephkov said. “By showcasing a different and uniquely Cuban moments of energy, we were able to deliver a slice of Cuban heritage for each expression.

“For example, for our premium dark rum, Havana Club Especial, we wanted a playful, friendly and festive moment that we think corresponds to our product. This is how we chose the lively domino game.

“For the Havana Club Cuban Spice expression, we wanted something a bit more colourful and spectacular in order to celebrate the tropical and spicy notes of the product.

“A simple scene of friends partying in the kitchen and making cocktails features Havana Club Original – Añejo 3 Años, our rum of choice for Cuban classics. This is how we made the choices – picking a slice of the Cuban way of life and matching them with the corresponding bottles.

Stephkov concluded: “The idea was to showcase the richness of our range – not only one product – which adds a premium to our communication by showing the diversity in our offer.”

Reflecting on the creative process of the campaign, Yoan Prat, general manager of Yard, said: “Creative mindset is one of the Cuban people’s defining strengths that is not often showcased, and can particularly resonate with the younger generation of adults.”

Following its launch in Canada this summer, the digital campaign is now being extended globally to markets including Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, the UK, Italy and Greece.

Click below to watch the Cuban Mode campaign video:

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Author: Georgie Collins