Maker’s Mark Launches New Global Campaign “Make Your Mark”

In 1953, Maker’s Mark set out to change the bourbon industry for the better; to create a fuller-flavored, hand-crafted bourbon that stood out in taste, style and purpose. Created by Leo Burnett, the “Make Your Mark” platform expands the brand’s legacy of breaking convention in the pursuit of progress and serves to inspire others and challenge convention to make their mark in the world.

“Maker’s Mark was born when its founders lit their 170-year-old family recipe on fire. I can’t imagine the bravery it took to do that,” said Sam Shepherd, EVP, Executive Creative Director of Leo Burnett. “What’s even more impressive is how that same energy still permeates through everything Maker’s Mark does today.”

Rooted in the brand’s legacy of blazing new trails in bourbon, the campaign kicks off with debut film content, They Say, delivering a bold, cinematic experience unlike anything else in the whisky category. There are many well-known adages telling us to maintain the status quo and play it safe. Directed by Henry Scholfield, award-winning music video and commercial director, They Say proves that you can’t break from the norm without breaking something first.

“To us at Maker’s Mark, this is more than just a campaign; it’s our entire brand ethos and experience,” said KK Hall, Global Brand Vice President of Maker’s Mark. “When our founders Bill Sr. and Margie Samuels created Maker’s Mark in 1953, they didn’t just want to make another bourbon; they wanted to make a better bourbon. And they were brave enough to push conventional boundaries to craft something they were proud to share. That spirit lives on in everything we do, and we’re excited for the ‘Make Your Mark’ campaign to be a beacon of this mindset for whisky fans around the world.”

In addition to film content, the global campaign, supported by TV, OTT media, OLV, digital and social, will debut first in the United States, followed by Canada and Australia. It will also include the relaunch of the brand’s global website and consumer ambassador program. Global brand experience will be further supported with limited-edition product releases, media and talent partnerships, retail programming, experiential and PR, as it is embedded in additional markets in 2024.

Leo Burnett welcomes Maker’s Mark as the agency’s most recent new business win this year, marking the agency’s 11th consecutive business win of the past 12 months and fourth Beam Suntory brand in the client’s portfolio.

The launch of the new AOR relationship and campaign signifies a defining moment for the whisky brand as it pursues its ambition to become an iconic, global whisky brand, expanding its relevance beyond North American markets.