The Hive would become a series of events that would give guests a taste of Jack Daniel's Tennessee Honey not in the aisles of a liquor store on a Saturday morning or late at night at a bar, but rather in venues that felt as authentic as the Jack brand itself - starting with a tattoo parlour in Parkhurst and a barber shop on First Thursdays in Cape Town.
34 aimed to create a series of exclusive experiences that made for exciting social currency that consumers could share on social media platforms - experiences that provided real opportunities for connection and expression of individuality with the help of the Jack brand. It was important, from the outset, to target opinion leaders with an authentic voice and strong following in order to make The Hive more than a tasting activation and rather, a hub of activity and sociability. Authenticity, trustworthiness and quality are very much a part of the Jack brand, so it was natural to partner with the kinds of people who align themselves to a certain lifestyle that reflects the Jack brand and personality.
How "The Hive" came to life
To open the new campaign, 34 and Jack Daniel's chose authentic and independently minded venues to host the main events. The two unexpected venues were Fallen Heroes tattoo parlour in Parkhurst, Johannesburg, and Barnet Fair Barber Shop in the Cape Town City Bowl - venues that comfortably align with the Jack brand and that have a devoted following of their sought-after crafts. The events came to life in very different ways and therein lay the beauty. Each city, each venue and each person that came to the events added something special, leading to social events that could not have been planned, only facilitated by the brand with "the buzz". Guests were treated to unique entertainment in the form of live tattooing and a honey-inspired art exhibition in Johannesburg. In Cape Town, it was all about barbers getting guests ready for the night ahead.
True to Jack Daniel's heritage, music played a big part in the success of the events. Guests were entertained by solo artist Lone Raynger (Cape Town) and Greedy Greg (Jozi), fresh off their Oppikoppi tour, all whilst sipping Jack Honey served in the style of their choice and a setting that left no question as to whether this new Jack was as real as the legendary Old No. 7.
Creative Director at 34, Wilton Ackeer, said, "It's great to know that you don't need pull-up banners, camera booths or live tweet walls to run a memorable activation. It felt authentic, it felt Jack".
Shaun Stemmett, Jack Daniel's Brand Manager said, "The Jack Daniel's Tennessee Honey 'The Hive' campaign provides the perfect creative platform to launch the 'Taste the Unexpected' tagline whilst also allowing consumers to taste Tennessee Honey in a variety of ways. The experience also brought to life the important lifestyle component inherent to the Jack brand. Not simply just a fun party, 34 has allowed us to close the loop by capturing qualitative consumer feedback to help us better align future conversations".
After a social media whirlwind off the back of both events, 34 and Jack Daniel's Tennessee Honey are looking forward to bringing The Hive to the greater South African context through selected restaurants, bars and hang out spots - but you can be sure that no matter where The Hive goes there will be a flurry of sociability and a taste of the unexpected.
Check out #TheHive and @JackDanielsSA for more from this campaign.
