The Odyssey Hennessy X.O saga began in 2016. It explores its tasting notes through different directors’ styles, visually articulating the complexity of the extra old cognac through a great Odyssey. The idea was to go against the stereotypical and cliché representations from the category and create impact on a visceral emotional level.

After the first film, an “Odyssey of senses” which approached taste as a feeling in an artistic and visual way, the second film, an “Odyssey of worlds”, pushed the imagination even further and created a grandiose science fiction universe. What about this third Opus?

How could Hennessy renew itself to engage with a new generation of spirit drinkers (27-30 & 30-39 YO) who tend to prefer Whisky and Tequila? And create an authentic and compelling narrative experience, while still boldly disrupting the prevalent preconception of the “old-fashioned Cognac” in general, and “distant and elitist Hennessy X.O” in particular?

Life is the greatest Odyssey.

Inspired by the idea that Each drop of Hennessy X.O is an Odyssey, the film contemplates on how the smallest of moments can trigger an emotional Odyssey of thoughts and memories. You can travel through space and time in the span of one moment. “Life Is the Greatest Odyssey,” expresses the grandeur Hennessy X.O through one small drop of cognac.

Now that the multi sensorial character of X.O has been well established, we had the opportunity to intensify the human dimension of this experience.

We found out that taste (senses) and emotions are being processed in the same part of the brain. The insular cortex, which separates the frontal and temporal lobes, is the sensory area for taste and also plays a role in visceral and emotional experience.

Senses trigger feelings. Our senses are the doorway to our emotion and to others. Hence, X.O is a multi-sensorial experience that makes us feel intensively alive.

A big idea that elevates the multi-sensoriality of X.O beyond tasting notes and brings us closer to people. We wanted to take the idea of an Odyssey into a more emotional and human space. An ode to life’s beauty, preciousness, emotions, sensations, love, to what has been and what will be.

The approach was to treat the music more as a cinema music than an advertising music. The music is really treated like a character on its own.

The composition had to last 7 minutes and accompany the entire story of the film in a natural way. To achieve this, the composer had to work hand-in-hand with the director to create an original composition that perfectly matched the intent of each image, scene and mood.

Also, as the main character is a musician, the composer integrated the composition naturally between the musical moments and the continuous thread of the story, by subtly switching back and forth between soundtrack and sound design.

We went against the trend of grandiose music, rather common in the very masculine spirits sector, by proposing a romantic ballad. As all great cinema music, you are not focusing on it, but you'll be humming it within minutes.

The pre-test results have shown expectional long-term performance with the highest possible score while brand association reached an average of 80% worldwide.

From the launch until now (so 3 months only)

17.6 Mil impression (+31% vs KPI), Clicks 28.3K, (36% vs KPI).

Engagement Rate 16.39%,(+32% vs Y22HNY campaign avg)

PR : 2.1M AD value with coverage of 270 media titles

No other results due to the very recent launch of the campaign.