BRIEF | FILM
Despite experts from World Whiskies Awards to the San Francisco World Spirits Competition decorating Uncle Nearest with accolades such as “Top 5 Whiskies in the World” and “Best American Whiskey,” the brand still lacks name recognition. It is, in turn, overlooked by the average drinker.
Task: Come up with the idea for a tv spot to get mainstream casual drinkers to consider switching to Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey.
INSIGHT
Humans are fallible from failing to set up Ikea furniture to working ourselves into fits of anxiety trying to self-diagnose on WebMD. We aren’t experts at everything, and we shouldn’t trust our own instincts when they try to tell us otherwise! Fortunately, from medicine to plumbing, to whiskey, there is always an expert to save us from the consequences of our own poor judgment.
SOLUTION
Current Uncle Nearest spots tell the story of Nathan “Nearest” Green, BUT most whiskey spots do the same. Instead, let’s introduce a humorous spot highlighting laughable messes people end up in when they do themselves the disservice of trusting their instincts instead of the experts.
SHOULD’VE CALLED NATHAN
SHOULD’VE CALLED NATHAN: 45
Opens on a middle-class black man drinking lemonade on his regal front porch. His partner comes outside and hands him a magazine image of topiary/landscaping inspiration.
PARTNER: Don’t forget to call Nathan!! The party is in 3 days, and I want this to be perfect.
HERO: (Says Dismissively) Uh-huh. Yeah.
Partner leaves. The hero stands up, squinting at his yard and the paper he now holds with one hand. He makes a face, shrugs, and nods to himself.
HERO: (nodding to himself) ha, “Nathan,” I got this
Set to a remixed crescendo of Beethoven’s 5th, the scene cuts to our hero trimming the hedges wildly with the zeal of a master lawn sculptor. Moments later, he steps back in shock and awe at the disaster he created. While he thought he had the swag of salt bae, it was more like Edward Scissorhands. He drops the sheers, grabs his phone, and runs back to the house to call Nathan after all.
PARTNER: (Pokes their head outside to see the disaster and yells) Really, James?!
Partner proceeds to yell at him in a muted tone as the following voiceover plays.
VOICEOVER: Trust the experts; if things go south, at least you have someone else to blame
The scene fades out and opens back in the study showing a close-up of an Uncle Nearest bottle being poured over ice. Faint scolding continues in the background.”
VOICEOVER: Expert recommended for when your judgment fails you.
The scene fades out as the end card appears featuring a bottle of Uncle Nearest on a dark background with the words “Worlds Best Whiskey.”
VOICEOVER: Experts said it, so you know it’s true.