• by Larissa Faw , July 17, 2015

Reyka Vodka's advertising typically features the brand’s Icelandic heritage and the premium, small batch product story. Now, parent company William Grant & Sons (WG&S) and agency Red Tettemer O'Connell and Partners (RTO+P) are launching a campaign that takes the finished product behind the bar for a fun look at ways to enjoy it.  

The "Tricks of the Trade" initiative features bartenders showing off eye-popping bar tricks. The first two videos in an ongoing series -- titled “Garnish Greatly” and “Sword Play” -- feature mixologists Trevor Schneider and Charlotte Voisey, both brand ambassadors for WG&S. 

Four additional “Tricks of the Trade” videos will be released across social platforms in July and August, featuring other bartenders and mixologists from the New York City area. 

"We partnered with WG&S brand ambassadors to be featured in the first two campaign videos and worked closely with them to choose well-known mixologists that have an ongoing relationship with the brand to be featured in additional videos," says Steve O’Connell, ECD and Partner, RTO+P. 

These videos will be released as :15s and :06’s for platforms including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Vine, and YouTube. RTO+P will also be managing a paid budget supporting this content on Facebook and Twitter.

The creative is aimed at professionals.

"Initially the campaign was created to engage with the bartending community, but we anticipate a halo effect to reach consumers," says O’Connell. Indeed, the videos are designed to be shared across social media as the quick, spirited tricks encourage audiences to watch in loops to believe. 

"A high level of precision was needed to pull these off properly," says O'Connell. "We’re fortunate to have a Maker department in-house at RTO+P that is accustomed to quickly producing creative with a bit of magic infused in it. And in this case, we worked with people who are more comfortable behind the bar than in front of cameras – perfect to demonstrate a Trick of the Trade." 

These videos debuted this week during Tales of the Cocktail, a weeklong international cocktail festival in New Orleans. At the festival, which runs through July 20, Reyka will also debut several new drink concoctions, including the Sno Hus serving flavored Sno Capped cocktail and carbonated Reyka Geyser Shots. The brand is also hosting an Icelandic vending machine that features items unique to the brand’s culture to greet event attendees in their hotel.  

RTO+P was named global AOR for Reyka Vodka in December 2012.