Jack Daniel’s is launching a new UK music campaign, based around a series of ‘partner venues’ called ‘Jack Rocks’ which opens with the whiskey brand taking over the famous Hoxton drinking and music venue The Macbeth.
The four-month initiative, based around celebrating ‘music that is hand crafted’, starts in September when the Macbeth will open weekdays to feature live brand-backed performances from hip acts, plus a series of music workshops and talks from industry insiders.
The next set of country-wide partner venues in the brand’s music experience campaign will only be revealed after Jack Rocks The Macbeth shuts its doors.
The opening events saw Liverpool guitar four-piece band ‘Moats’ perform – along with support from ‘Whistlejacket’ and ‘Maui’.
Other major names from the music world featuring at the branded venue include La Roux,
as well as DJ set from fashion designer Claire Barrow DJing for her London Fashion Week afterparty and The Feeling.
The Macbeth venue is being run in alliance with music media outfit NME and online streaming service Spotify.
This venue alliance along with distributor Bacardi Brown-Forman Brands, will also see NME staff work from the venue’s media room to report on the branded events as and when they happen.
While a new workspace has been created on the top floor for NME journalists and Spotify staff, otherwise the decor and format of the main live room and upstairs saloon bar remains largely the same – with the addition of additional Jack Daniels brand presence.
The initiative is supported with additional point-of-sale material featuring CuT and shot by music photographer Marcus Maschwitz.
The ‘Jack Rocks’ programme will run throughout the year and it aims to highlight the spirits brand’s music heritage and support via independent venues all over the country.
The next partnerships and events will be announced and promoted via both NME platforms and through the Jack Daniel’s Twitter page.
Jack Daniel’s is working with digital consultancy Splendid on the initiative.
‘Jack Rocks’ at ‘The Macbeth’ is part of a general increase in music-led marketing this year which will see the brand re-assert its music alignment and association.
This year will also see Jack Daniel’s work in tande with the NME on its third nationwide quest to find ‘Britain’s Best Small Venue’.
This initiative asks fans to nominate their favourite venues on the NME website, and this is followed with a 10-venue insider expert shortlist. The winner will then be decided based on public votes.
As with previous years, the winning venue will host a winner’s gig.
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The campaign’s objective is to celebrate ‘the independence, authenticity and integrity of real, hand-crafted music’ – which matches the whiskey brand’s own credentials and values.
‘Jack Daniel’s has a history of supporting artists and venues who share our values. From Sinatra to the Stones to exciting new talent like CuT, we want to continue a legacy that goes back decades and do everything we can to shine a light on artists and people in the wider music community who aren’t afraid to do things differently to achieve success on their own terms.,’ outlines jack Daniel’s senior brand manager Michael Boaler.
‘Partnering with a live music venue with our own spin is a first for us and we’re really excited to give both up-and-coming artists and like-minded music lovers alike a place where they can listen to some inspirational stories and most importantly share some legendary music moments.’
The Macbeth itself, which is rumoured to have been visited by Charles Dickens, has actually been a pub with music and arts credentials for more than 100 years.
This branded music partnership aims to continue this long tradition of offering great entertainment, as well as great food and drink
Links
Jack Daniels UK Twitter
https://twitter.com/JackDanielsUK
Jack Daniels Website
http://www.jackdaniels.com/verify-age
The Macbeth Website
NME YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/user/NMETV
NME Best Small Venue Website
