A thriving Southeast Asian economy had created a new demand for luxury goods. So new that many consumers knew little about the products they were demanding. That included single-malt scotch. Scotland’s premium distillery, Glenfiddich, brought 125 years of experience and authenticity to the region, but bigger names with larger budgets were out to forge brand loyalty.

We needed to educate a fast-growing upper middle class getting its first taste of luxury. They prefer word-of-mouth recommendations from the upper class. But that high net worth audience isn’t easy to impress. So we turned tradition upside down, creating new experiences even old money can’t buy.

Enlisting hidden doorways, unexpected locales and scenes right out of a James Bond movie, we attracted the most influential word-of-mouth advocates in the region. Then technology delivered the “wow” factor. Computer tablets provided self-guided tours of our Scottish distillery without leaving Bangkok. At the bar, a tasting app helped guests fashion their personal flavor profile, then matched the perfect Glenfiddich. When they set their glass on the table, the revolutionary MultiTaction surface sprang to life with dazzling visuals and customized information. At a charity dinner in Singapore, food and drink arrived on iPads, which served up commentary on the culinary pairings while a rare 125-year-old bottle of Glenfiddich was prepared for auction.

Connecting with exclusive guests both young and old, Glenfiddich enjoyed an incredibly long reach, generating 43 million impressions across five markets, 117 pieces of media coverage, and impressive sales growth months after the campaign. Old and new proved a powerful combination.

Entering through a hidden bookcase in Bangkok’s Neilson Hays Library, VIP guests engaged in unprecedented tasting event technology. Computer tablets provided interactive tours of the Scottish distillery. Tasting apps let guests “drag and drop” their favorite flavors to find the right Glenfiddich. Secret bar codes on each glass activated MutltiTaction touch screen tables, which lit up with customized and branded information. In another beyond-exclusive event, we introduced the founding family of Glenfiddich to the influential families of Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Bangkok, Manila and Singapore. The grand finale in Singapore’s ultra-high security Free Port vault, served sumptuous dishes on an innovative touchpad that displayed the story behind each pairing of food and whiskey.

By creating unique “money can’t buy” events, we enlisted hundreds of influential brand ambassadors who were now educated and motivated to tell others about their Glenfiddich experience. We also attracted regional media coverage, including “dark markets” for alcohol that otherwise couldn’t have told the Glenfiddich story. The spirited campaign generated 43 million impressions across five markets, 117 media stories, and most importantly helped spur sales, including 196% sales growth in Thailand in the three months following the Bangkok event. The success of the Old World/High Tech experiences convinced Glenfiddich to expand similar interactive events to South Korea and China, with Mexico and Venezuela soon to follow.