christopher mcgauran
Client: Heaven Hill Distillery
Brand: Evan Williams Bourbon
Role: Creative Direction, Campaign Development, Broadcast, Packaging Refresh
THE STORY
Evan Williams was ready for reinvention and a campaign refresh.
As America’s #3 best-selling straight bourbon, the brand had scale — but needed a refreshed voice. The bourbon category was becoming increasingly crowded and premium-driven, while category growth was flattening.
Evan Williams needed a campaign that felt confident, modern, and unmistakably bourbon — without abandoning its mass-market strength.
THE OBJECTIVE
Develop a fully integrated campaign spanning outdoor, print, and broadcast — anchored by a 30-second television spot born directly from the visual language of the print work.
The idea needed to feel bold yet straightforward.
Premium, but not precious.
Authentic without chasing heritage clichés.
THE MOVE
The breakthrough was clarity. Seriously Good Bourbon. Two words. No fluff. No over-romanticizing.
Visually, the campaign embraced bold orange bourbon tones and rich textures paired with clean, confident typography and straightforward photography. The layouts were intentionally minimal — allowing the product and message to carry authority.
The broadcast execution extended the print system directly into motion. The 30-second spot was written and developed to bring the simplicity and confidence of the campaign into a cinematic format without losing its graphic backbone.
Simultaneously, a packaging refresh introduced refined glass-blown signature details, reinforcing quality at shelf and aligning the physical product with the elevated campaign voice.
THE RESULT
From 2013–2014, Evan Williams achieved double-digit growth while the bourbon category remained flat. The brand continued to outperform category growth following launch.
New campaign concepts tested with a dramatic 54% purchase intent — validating both creative direction and strategic positioning.
Evan Williams didn’t chase bourbon mythology.
It owned its confidence.