Watch: Bushmills’ new ad campaign depicts the ‘real’ Ireland

Proximo Spirits-owned Bushmills has launched a new ad campaign called ‘Red Set Go’ which it claims portrays the “real Ireland” in order to attract the next generation of whiskey drinkers in the US.

Following a group of Belfast locals on a night out, the ad sees them partying at underground raves and running through the cobbled streets, with Louder by Kid Karate as the soundtrack to their night.

Bushmills’ Red Bush is described as: “An exceptionally smooth whiskey from Ireland’s oldest distillery. Triple-distilled and matured to perfection in bourbon casks, Red Bush is a well-rounded whiskey that is as versatile as it is balanced. For those seeking the smoothest of whiskies, Red Bush is perfect served straight up or with your favourite mixer.”

Jeffrey Schiller, brand director of Bushmills Irish whiskey, said: “The next generation of whiskey drinkers craves real experiences and honest brands. For so long, Irish whiskey has been about tall tales and green plastic hats on St Patrick’s Day, so ‘Irish-ness’ has almost become corrupted.

“We want to show America the real Ireland, and what better Irish whiskey than Bushmills – Ireland’s oldest licensed whiskey distillery – to show the way.”

The video campaign was created and produced by Virtue, Vice Media’s creative agency.

Jess Toye, creative director at Virtue, added: “With Red Set Go we want to show the raw and electrifying Ireland that sets us apart from the romanticised vision of the country that is far too often portrayed. The sounds, the set, the people represent the real Belfast and convey the excitement and energy of the city.”

Red Set Go will be distributed digitally, socially and on TV in the US from mid-January 2019. The campaign will also launch a live music series in the summer.

Bushmills will invest more than US$77 million to double production capacity over the next five years to meet the “increasing demand” and to capitalise on the “continued growth of single malt and premium blended Irish whiskeys in the US and beyond”.