BombaySmith pours a Martell

"Our brief was to develop a contemporary and stylish association that has relevance to a diverse target market, as well as communicating the products heritage and unique link to the cognac-making expertise of France," said Damon Webb, Creative Director.

Targeted predominately at a male audience in Gauteng, the campaign has been created to reach the young, urban and hip market, whilst retaining a variety of established markets around the country. The creative rationale presents Martell as a brand with confidence, individuality and style by simply depicting stylish individuals. The campaign headline, "It's a question of style", is set against a vibrant blue background, establishing a brand identifier and icon for Martell. A clean, contemporary bottle shot and the brand pay-off line, "From the House of Martell, France. Since 1715", are utilized to emphasize the heritage and clear product quality.

Billboards will be positioned in key target areas such as Soweto, Johannesburg, Pretoria and Natal. Pernod Ricard, a significant user of billboards, selected more than 20 sites in prominent, relevant locations.

John O'Sullivan, Brand Manager for Martell explains, "The campaign works for me, achieving the two basic objectives of the brief. Martell has always been about style, but this has not reflected strongly enough in recent advertising. It is not enough to just say "it's a question of style". The new advertising takes five different guys, from different backgrounds, and shows them looking stylish. It might not be everybody's idea of style, but it is unquestionably stylish. It's simple, but it speaks for the brand."

He continued, "The second objective was to ensure that the brand looks young, vibrant and contemporary while utilizing the blue that has been prominent in all recent advertising. This has certainly been achieved, and the adverts stand out from other brandy advertising."