William Grant & Sons Appoints Rokkan to Agency of Record

NEW YORK, April 5, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- William Grant & Sons (www.williamgrantusa.com), the independent, family-owned distiller, today announced it has awarded Agency of Record (AOR) duties to full-service agency Rokkan (www.rokkan.com) to oversee digitally-led creative for the brand's core portfolio of premium spirits brands in the United States. Rokkan's responsibilities will include work for some of the most well-known and fastest growing spirits: Glenfiddich, The Balvenie, Tullamore D.E.W. Irish Whiskey, Hendrick's Gin, Milagro Tequila and Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum.

The win follows the agency's continued momentum bolstering a broader range of creative capabilities and expanding the definition of what it means to be a digital agency in today's ever-changing marketplace. Fueled by the agency's new business expansions into fully integrated creative, experiential marketing, and media planning and buying, Rokkan will bring a holistic digital-first approach to help grow the company's core online portfolio.

Rokkan first won creative duties for the distiller in late December of 2015 to promote Glenfiddich Single Malt Scotch Whisky's 14 Year Old Bourbon Barrel Reserve release. The latest addition to the distiller's permanent portfolio, Glenfiddich 14 features complex flavors of woody spices combined with ripe summer fruit that are a result of the spirit's distinct use of ex-bourbon barrels and charred new American Oak casks. Work for Glenfiddich 14 will focus on the U.S. market and is scheduled to launch later this year through multiple channels, with work for other labels to follow shortly thereafter.

On this latest partnership, John Noe, Co-Founder and CEO of Rokkan, gave credit to 2015 serving as a pivotal year for the agency. "In the past year we've grown more distant from the word 'digital.' It means such a specific thing to some people. But for those who really are digital, we know it to be much more about the connection between people, things, cultures, movements. And with William Grant & Sons, we've found a like-mindedness in how we see the role of digital transforming the way we connect people and brands. We're honored and thrilled to be their partner in this journey."

In addition to expanding the agency's capabilities, Rokkan has also kicked off 2016 with a series of new business wins, including William Grant & Sons. The agency now counts among its client roster: Cadillac, Tough Mudder, Café de Colombia, and Veuve Clicquot, among many more global brands.

About William Grant & Sons

William Grant & Sons Holdings Ltd is an independent family-owned distiller headquartered in the United Kingdom and founded by William Grant in 1887. Today, the global premium spirits company is run by the fifth generation of his family and distils some of the world's leading brands of Scotch whisky, including the world's most awarded single malt Glenfiddich^®, The Balvenie^® range of handcrafted single malts and the world's third largest blended Scotch, Grant's^®, as well as other iconic spirits brands such as Hendrick's^® Gin, Sailor Jerry^®, Tullamore D.E.W.^® Irish Whiskey, Monkey Shoulder^® triple malt whisky and Drambuie^®.

William Grant & Sons has been honored as "Distiller of the Year" by the prestigious International Wine & Spirit Competition and International Spirits Challenge ten times over the past 15 years.

Founded in 1964, William Grant & Sons USA is a wholly-owned subsidiary of William Grant & Sons, Ltd. and features one of the fastest growing spirits portfolios in the USA with brands including Glenfiddich, The Balvenie, Hendrick's Gin, Sailor Jerry Rum, Tullamore D.E.W. Irish Whiskey, Drambuie, Milagro Tequila, Grant's, Hudson Whiskey, Gibson's Finest, Monkey Shoulder, Clan MacGregor, Reyka Vodka, Solerno Blood Orange Liqueur, Montelobos Mezcal, Ancho Reyes, Flor de Caña Rum, Art In The Age, The Knot and Raynal French Brandy. For more information on the company and its brands, please visit www.grantusa.com.

About Rokkan 

Rokkan, a partner for brave change, takes its name from the Japanese word for "the sixth sense," bringing intuition to research and strategy to help brands create data-driven and highly creative storytelling, social engagement, customer experience and e-commerce. Founded in 2000, Rokkan has grown from a three-person startup into an innovation outlier within the Publicis Groupe. With offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Singapore, Rokkan leverages a unique and nimble approach that blends strategy, storytelling, and technology for outstanding results. Clients include American Express, Cadillac, JetBlue Airways, Purina Nestle, Samsung, and more.

For more information visit www.rokkan.com, or follow us at @Rokkan, on FB and Instagram.

Media Contact:
Amelia Vereb
SweeneyVesty
[email protected]  
212-226-5105

SOURCE Rokkan

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