Tanqueray challenges newbie gin rivals with new tech and old-style production from St Luke’s

New craft gins seem to be taking over over the drinks world but Diageo is rowing against the tide with its ‘Unmistakably’ campaign for Tanqueray, this time with London agency St Luke’s making its debut on the account.

It’s all clever stuff using a technique called the Droste effect, which is based on the idea of ‘worlds within worlds’, created by a continuous curving camera move that reveals each new scene from inside the previous one. The original Tanqueray bottle appears in each “era,” sourced from the Tanqueray archive in Menstrie, Scotland and used in the shoot.

Reminds you of Tony Blair and the Ming vase – carrying a vessel somewhere isn’t nerve-wracking until you know what it is.

So was it worth the effort?

Unmistakably Tanqueray – Since 1830 from St Luke's on Vimeo.

Tanqueray global head D-J Hageman says: “We are thrilled to be launching the next stage of the Unmistakably Tanqueray campaign.

“In 1830, our founder, Charles Tanqueray set out to create the world’s best tasting London Dry Gin. He tried over 300 different recipes, until he ultimately landed on the one, the same recipe we still use to this day, four perfectly balanced botanicals: juniper, angelica root, coriander seed and liquorice for one unmistakable taste.”

“Building on our OOH and print campaign from 2018, and with additional media channels in the mix this year, we have the opportunity to explain why Tanqueray has an unmistakable taste which sets us apart, through video and digital assets.”

OK, got that but was it worth…

Actually it’s a pleasingly old-style campaign in effect and the care and attention to production pays off.

MAA creative scale: 8.