K-Pop star Lisa has signed on as the new face of leading Scotch whisky brand Chivas Regal. The Blackpink rapper is fronting the “I Rise, We Rise” campaign.
Thai-born K-Pop star Lisa (Lalisa Manobal) is the first female to front the Pernod Ricard Scotch whisky brand Chivas Regal in Asia. The “I Rise, We Rise” campaign is aimed at connecting with young, conscious consumers.
The first television ad for the campaign sees Lisa in Seoul, where she’s enjoying a highball made with Chivas Regal. She encourages viewers to define success on their own terms. The campaign is expected to include live events as well in the coming months.
Conscious consumers
“Our extensive research showed that luxury is changing. The new ‘face’ of luxe is the young, status-conscious consumer that prefers powerhouse brands which are confident and established—this is the hustle generation,” Chivas Global Marketing Director, Nick Blacknell says.
“Social media has introduced a new, broader audience to the wonder of whisky—‘flex’ consumers with a hustle-first ethos that seek out upmarket brands to align themselves with,” Blacknell told Vogue.
Lisa’s personal story is filled with that hustle, leaving Thailand and becoming one of the world’s biggest stars.
“After being on such a huge personal journey and hustling over the past few years, I want to inspire people to elevate themselves,” the pop star said in a statement. “It was a no-brainer to partner with Chivas, as their values are so closely aligned with my own,” she says.
“Those that belong to this demographic are social media natives; they work hard, documenting their high-end lifestyles online and in turn, create new fans amongst their engaged audiences. Lisa’s story blends success and hustle, fully embodying this ethos, making her the perfect ambassador for Chivas and this new generation of Scotch drinkers,” Blacknell said.
“Chivas has long held a reputation for being an upmarket brand with heritage and confidence, meaning it makes sense for us to speak to this new audience,” Blacknell said.
Chivas Regal’s sustainability commitments
Another core touchpoint for the target demographic—Lisa is 24—is sustainability. A recent survey from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania found that Gen Z’s purchasing habits, which favor sustainability, are influencing other, particularly older, generations to make similar purchasing decisions.
According to the report, Gen Z’s influence over their Gen X (or older) parents “shows a significant increase over two years ago on preference to shop sustainable brands and willingness to pay more for sustainable products.”
Sustainability is playing a key role in Pernod Ricard’s future. The company, which also owns brands including Absolut, Jameson, and Beefeater, says its sustainability and responsibility roadmap supports the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, aligning with the 2030 targets.
“Our business has been recognized as a UN Global Compact LEAD participant for our work on the SDGs —the only wine & spirits company to receive this accolade,” Pernod Ricard says on its website.
“As Créateurs de Convivialité we strongly believe in the art of sharing in all that we do. We aim to bring ‘Good Times from a Good Place’ by nurturing our terroirs, valuing people, helping to preserve natural resources and fighting alcohol misuse, creating shared value for all our stakeholders,” says Vanessa Wright, Pernod Ricard’s chief sustainability officer.
The four pillars of its roadmap include Nurturing Terroir, Valuing People, Circular Making, and Responsible Hosting. It says the pillars address all aspects of the business “from grain to glass.”
Chivas Regal, in particular, is making strides toward becoming more sustainable. In 2020, the company announced its sustainability strategy and commitment targets for 2030. Its goals include creating its first carbon-neutral distillery within two years, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by an additional 20 percent, moving to fully sustainable packaging by this year, and launching sustainable events around the world.
Along with the new campaign, Chivas has redesigned its iconic bottle with a sustainable design, including the label and packaging.
“We’re proud to deliver a redesign that speaks the language of a fresh new generation of Chivas drinkers while bringing established enthusiasts and connoisseurs along for the journey,” Blacknell said last year.
“We have taken a bold, yet meticulous approach with all aspects of this redesign, and I’m especially looking forward to seeing our taller bottle take pride of place behind thousands of bars and clubs around the world,” he said. “I’m particularly proud of the central role sustainability has played in reconceptualising Chivas 12 for a new generation. With this redesign, we have once again reinforced our belief that sustainable luxury is not an oxymoron.”
Read about Crown Royal’s plan to decarbonize whisky by 2030.
