In these uncertain times… 2020 was a year unlike any other and it forced every brand to shift their communication strategies. However, while many brands followed a formulaic approach ("helping you navigate the new normal") Old Forester took a very different path.

CHALLENGE: Old Forester’s biggest moment of their marketing year is the Kentucky Derby, where they are the official drink. Just weeks before the event, the spread of COVID-19 forced the first postponement of the Kentucky Derby since World War II.

How can we get Old Forester on drinkers’ radars when our biggest marketing event of the year is cancelled?

OBJECTIVE: PUNCH ABOVE OUR WEIGHT. Could we use the event's cancellation to gain an unfair share of the conversation during the week of the Kentucky Derby? We wanted to make a splash, especially when that's usually a week that’s littered with bigger bourbon brands spending bigger budgets.

The Old Forester Kentucky Turtle Derby.

A real-time, interactive sporting event that was one of the first live sporting events aired in the United States after the COVID-19 outbreak began.

On a day usually dominated by thoroughbred horses, Old Forester and 8 elite turtle racers provided “the slowest two minutes in sports” and a moment of much needed entertainment and escape.

In March/April 2020 people were especially in need of a moment of escape and entertainment. The world was under lockdown for COVID-19 and the places where people went for escape, like live sports, had been cancelled.

With many news outlets covering the LACK of a Kentucky Derby, Old Forester used its postponement as an opportunity to provide a positive and lighthearted outcome to this story. The Old Forester Kentucky Turtle Derby, a brand new sporting tradition, was born. In place of the Kentucky Derby a live turtle race capitalized on a cultural moment when people desperately needed a moment of entertainment, positivity, and levity.

As an entertainment property marketing an entertainment event, we knew we needed:

? A Big Race Announcement: We got the word out through PR and gained coverage in key popular news and sports outlets like ESPN, CNN, and Barstool Sports.

? Social & Digital Promotion of the Turtle Racers: We encouraged people on social channels to pledge allegiance to one of eight elite turtles.

? Real Sports Icons: We recruited real Kentucky Derby icon Larry Collmus, the official Derby announcer, to voice the event.

? Turtle Memorabilia: We created shoppable T-shirts, hats, and turtle trading cards to help people commemorate the first ever Old Forester Kentucky Turtle Derby.

? A Fine Bourbon Cocktail: We partnered with Drizly to deliver our product directly (and safely) to people’s homes.

? A Live Race: We used YouTube Live and pushed all of communication on race day to the live stream.

We set out to drive earned reach and conversation for the brand and we did so in spades.

During the one week campaign for the Old Forester Kentucky Turtle Derby we:

? Delivered over 1 billion media impressions

? Generated 1,031 unique news stories

? Grew our share of brand conversation during Derby weekend from 9% to 40%, helping us become the #1 most talked about bourbon brand during Derby week

? Increased Youtube subscriber growth by 900%

? Old Forester Bourbon sales we’re up +60% year over year

All of this was accomplished with ZERO paid media.