The brand

Finlandia Vodka is part of the Brown-Forman Corporation’s portfolio of wine & spirits. Every drop of Finlandia Vodka is and has always been produced in Finland. Launched half a century ago, in 1970, it’s been built on the founding principles of Finnish nature, distillation, and design. Recognised for its smooth and crisp taste that comes from pure glacial spring water and Finnish barley, it’s become a consumer favourite and one of the world's leading premium vodkas.
 

The challenge

Finlandia Vodka needed a new global lead creative agency to build and drive meaningful distinction, awareness, consistency, and long-term growth across Central Eastern European markets. Standing out in an increasingly competitive, price-drive, and legally-restricted industry had become a key challenge for the vodka brand.

Finlandia Vodka needed an agency partner that would create a long-lasting and holistic communications idea. The client was looking for an emotionally powerful brand idea, anchored in consumer insights, that could travel across all touchpoints and territories with a particular focus on shopper and POS/On-trade. They were also looking at doing more with their flavoured vodkas as a differentiating factor. 

Embracing their brand was imperative as well as an agency showing a collaborative culture that resonated with their own.
 

The creativebrief process

With the COVID-19 outbreak and lockdown coming into effect shortly after the review began, the client team, alongside Creativebrief, ran the process entirely remotely. With the client, its stakeholders, and vying agencies spread across Amsterdam, Helsinki, Kentucky and London, the virtual process added agility and knocked down any travel barriers whilst suffering none of the chemistry.

After a thorough RFI process, the Creativebrief team put forward those agencies who fit the collaborative culture and who also represented a wealth of experience developing overall creative platforms and rolling out global toolkit assets. 

Chemistry meetings were held virtually so the client could meet the teams and delve into the brief. The meetings touched base on the agencies’ culture and ways of working, and how exactly their experience lent itself to the opportunity with Finlandia Vodka. The client invited a selection of agencies to virtually pitch the brief and present their bold ambitions for the brand. The client included an in-depth virtual immersion session for the final three agencies to help them get under the skin of the brand heritage, positioning, and opportunities.
 

The result

Although this was an unprecedented situation for both Creativebrief and Finlandia Vodka, the client found the virtual process enjoyable and appointed DDB unlimited as its global creative agency with Haygarth as their partner to handle shopper and retail marketing.

DDB unlimited showed their passion for the client’s brand story and displayed a great understanding of what Finlandia is about now and its heritage. Despite being a completely virtual run process, the Finlandia Vodka team and DDB unlimited felt able to naturally play off each other which they see as setting an excellent foundation for their future.

 

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