The Glenlivet: Lift Your Spirits
Evolving a Legacy Single Malt for a New Generation______________________________________
Concept, Creative Direction, Copywriting, Client Presentation by Ted Johnston
Concept, Creative Direction, Copywriting, Client Presentation by Ted Johnston
The Problem
The Glenlivet needed to modernize its brand identity and increase relevance with a new generation of whiskey drinkers, while maintaining its position as a leading global single malt.
The Solution
• Repositioned The Glenlivet around a modern expression of heritage and craft
• Developed a global creative platform balancing tradition and contemporary culture
• Built a connected brand system spanning:
- digital storytelling
- social content
- experiential touchpoints
• Expanded visual and tonal language to broaden appeal beyond traditional whiskey audiences
• Extended campaign storytelling across retail and digital environments
The Result
• Delivered a 10%+ increase in brand sentiment, strengthening associations with comfort and accessibility
• Generated 30M+ impressions across social media platforms
• Achieved strong social engagement, with 20%+ of audiences sharing content for its cultural relevance and sense of comfort rather than traditional advertising
• Increased engagement across digital and experiential touchpoints
• Strengthened cultural positioning within the global premium whiskey category
The Impact
Reinforced The Glenlivet as a modern global whiskey brand, evolving its identity to stay culturally relevant while preserving heritage equity and premium positioning.
Social Activation
Created a social-driven participation campaign encouraging consumers to share personal expressions through branded content using #TheGlenlivet and #What?
User submissions were turned into custom branded masks featuring selected quotes, with daily highlights featured across The Glenlivet’s social channels.
The campaign also extended into digital gathering spaces through partnerships with Spatial and Zoom, enabling virtual connection experiences at scale.
For every consumer submission, The Glenlivet donated $10 toward PPE for frontline workers, reinforcing brand purpose through participation.