William Lawson’s Response to the Haka
William Lawson’s , the Scotch whisky owned by Bacardi-Martini, was promoted in 2000 through a Scottish reply to a New Zealand Maori haka.
The TV ad begins with a team of Scotsmen wearing only kilts, running onto a stadium to play rugby union football. As the crowd cheers a New Zealand Maori team run on, sparking a Mexican wave.
The Maoris line up for the haka, the traditional dance used as a challenge for combat. As they go through their stirring performance, the Scots stand there in their boots, resolute. At the end of the haka, the Scotsmen produce their own cultural challenge, silently lifting up the front of their kilts.
The super and voiceover: “William Lawson’s. No Rules, Great Scotch.”
The haka spot was shot in the Westpac Stadium in Wellington, New Zealand.
Director Director Olivier Venturini and cameraman Danny Hielewe went to Wellington because they were told by their service producer in New Zealand that in order to do a proper haka, you have to be a Kiwi. They were informed that Maori haka performers start very young and have that in their blood. well. They flew to the other side of the world, confident.
When the film crew arrived in Wellington, the first thing Olivier saw was a rehearsal of the haka orchestrated by a local “choreograph”. He thought it was pretty good and knew it would get there. The choreographer turned to Olivier and said: “Not bad for people having never done a haka before, hey?”. Obviously, he wasn’t aware of the reason why the crew went there in the first place and the service production didn’t brief him to keep his mouth shut.
Credits
The No Rules campaign was developed at McCann-Erickson, Brussels by creative director Jean-Luc Walraff, copywriters Philippe Thito and Jean Luc Walraff, art director Michel Derese and agency producer Anne Gasia.
Production company was Pix & Motion, Brussels, who have sinced joined with Roses are Blue to form Caviar. Executive producers Brigitte Baudine and Kato Maes worked with director Olivier Venturini and cameraman Danny Hiele.
Olivier Venturini is now based in London and hosts the Haka ad in quicktime on his own site – Haka 480 x 352 (10.569 mb) and Haka 320 x 240 (5.638 mb).
Music was produced at ZOO Productions, Brussels, who have a page dedicated to the ad, with an associated quicktime video (2.39 mb).
Awards
The Haka TV ad won two awards, the Mondial de la Pub des Pays Francophones, 2001 (Silver) for Nations Prize: Belgium, and winner in the Alcoholic Drinks section in the Epica 2001 Awards.
The Effie Awards of Belgium recognised the effectiveness of the Haka campaign in establishing William Lawson’s whisky in Belgium as the drink of irreverence, virility, authentic Scottishness, impertinence and humour. At the same time there was no connection made between consumption of alcohol and sporting or sexual performance.
Follow-Up
In 2004 McCann Erickson Belgium followed up the haka ad with ‘Scottish Instinct’, set in a hotel lobby. One of the bare chested kilted men encounters a man and a woman, creating an effect on both as he crosses his legs. The campaign was developed by creative director and art director Jean-Luc Walraff, directed by Barry Myers at Michael De Wouters Production House. Account Manager was Nathalie Marchand.
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Posted in Inspiration, TV Ads Cinema and Online Videos
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(4.92 out of 5)
please can someone tell me the name of the man with the kilt and the long hair, i think he is perfect and i want to be his fan but i don’t know any adress that i could search for informations.
Can anyone tell me where I can buy William Lawson’s whisky in England, please?
As a true Scot I would not wash my feet in Lawson’s Whisky
Malt is King in Scotland.
Though their advertising takes a lot of beating
Where can I buy William Lawsons Whisky in England
hi i have 4 bottles of william lawson whiskey that i am currently selling we recieved them as wedding presents as we were married in gretna green as neither myself or my husband drink whiskey we would gladly sell you the bottles for £10 each.