Baileys Chocolat Luxe – a fusion of Belgian chocolate with alcohol - was DIAGEO’s secret weapon for bringing a new audience to the declining brand.

Our campaign needed to generate buzz IN ADVANCE of the ATL launching in October 2013. PR was essential for:

- positioning the product

- ensuring the right kind of interest / awareness.

The advertising would provide ‘scale’, but we needed the right people to be talking about it / desiring it in advance.

The watchword for launch was ‘premium’. This would excite influencers, who in turn would affect broader perceptions.

- Our Culinary Alchemy event was a press preview with a difference: the product’s creator was paired with experimental food duo Bompas and Parr.

- Exhibition & dining experience, Bar Chocolat saw a range of influencers create installations based on the sensory pleasure of chocolate. It was used to directly engage consumers and as a key media hook.

- We used video to create a narrative that could tell the story of the ingredients, product and pour.

- And an exclusive pre-launch partnership with Harvey Nichols was created to firmly land ‘premium’.

By the time the drink was available to buy – and the advertising hit – extensive media coverage and social buzz meant that demand was high and the product was firmly positioned as a premium drink for women.

In just three months it exceeded its full year sales target and is set to be Diageo's biggest ever year 1 launch in Western Europe.

PRESS PREVIEW - CULINARY ALCHEMY. July

We paired the creator with experimental food duo Bompas and Parr, bringing the drink into the world of chocolate. Touches – like coating people’s lips in gold leaf for their first sip – made it a ‘selfie’ hit.

UNVEILING. August

We delivered gold bottles to influencers from the worlds of food and style - adding credible social media buzz - and widely seeded our film.

BAR CHOCOLAT. September

This week-long London-based exhibition-come-dining experience saw influential creatives from the worlds of art, fashion and food create installations based on the different sensory pleasures of chocolate. Experimental chefs Blanch & Shock ran the restaurant, and tapping into the trend of immersive dining, plated meals directly onto the table, giving us a ‘foodie’ media hook. Launching to influencers and media the day before the public created ink & social buzz & ensured all public tickets sold out.

• Press Preview: 70 journalists (Observer Food Monthly / Stylist).

• Trends Website/ Blogs: 72 hits (NotCot / Trendhunter).

• Bar Chocolat: 120 hits (Independent / Grazia).

• Other Coverage: 70 hits (Times / TimeOut)

• Reach: 247,068,881

• Influencer Partners: 8

• Influencer #CHOCOLATLUXE TWEETS: 138

• Harvey Nichols: record sales for exclusive promotion

• Film: 2m+ YouTube views

Sales:

• 32% under 34 vs 12% for Baileys Original. 32% AB consumer vs. 24% for Baileys Original. Nielsons.

• When asked “what would you have consumed instead” 11% said non-alcoholic alternatives. Millward Brown.

• Only 9% brought Chocolat Luxe instead of Baileys Original, showing this did not cannibalise the brand.

• 62% of all brand awareness driven from earned channels. Millward Brown.

• In three months exceeded the full year sales target.

• Set to be Diageo's most successful product launch ever in terms of year 1 sales.