European “BE THE MEISTER” campaign by Jägermeister creates new perspectives
Wolfenbüttel, May 2021: The night is about more than parties. Especially now, with nightlife on hold, we know it and feel it even more: the night gives us space for personal connection, whether it’s loud and vibrant or cosy and chill. And a nightlife community that accepts us as we are. Covid taught us it’s the people who make the night, with all of their humanity and creativity: the bartenders who mix the perfect drinks for the moment, the DJs whose beats elevate their audiences, the friends who support us no matter what. With a new European “BE THE MEISTER” campaign, launching in Germany, Italy, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, Jägermeister is celebrating these “Meisters of the night” and spreading the message that we all have what it takes to make the night better, more accepting and inspiring.
A new video is at the heart of the “BE THE MEISTER” campaign in the four countries. Starting in May, Jägermeister will broadcast it as a locally adapted TV spot, including numerous vignettes in high-reach TV and digital environments. Each of the vignettes is a short segment telling the story of a “Meister of the night”: a street artist spraying a giant mural, a bartender serving ice-cold shots, a group of friends who thank the bus driver for getting them home safely at night.
“For us, being a ‘Meister of nightlife’ is not about perfection or any grand achievements. Instead, our campaign spotlights people in the nightlife community who dare to question the status quo. They bring the passion, and stamina, to challenge our mindsets. They are people who model true community: a space that’s genuine, creative, inclusive, and open to everyone who wants to make the night a better place, for themselves and for everyone,” says Kathleen Schied, Head of Marketing at Jägermeister Germany.
To create local and authentic versions of the “BE THE MEISTER” story, Jägermeister brought well-known artists from three markets on board for the production: for Italy DJ Stomp Boxx, for the Czech Republic and Slovakia DJ Nobody Listen, for Germany the rapper Booz, the graffiti artist Case and the DJ duo Pan-Pot as well as people like you and me who can have a positive impact on nightlife with gestures of kindness and humanity.
In Germany, Jägermeister also expands the “BE THE MEISTER” campaign to create a platform for the meisters of tomorrow. The digital communication centers around the protagonists from the German video formats: the DJ duo Pan-Pot and the street artist Case. These artists will be sending out a call for artistic collaborations. One winner at a time will have the chance to let his or her talent shine under the guidance of the seasoned artists. The result will be new meisterpieces – like a co-produced song or street art. Starting in late May, the entire process, from call to co-creation, will be shared on local Jägermeister social channels (Instagram, Facebook and YouTube) and by Pan-Pot and Case.
As the rollout of “BE THE MEISTER” is happening in the four Jägermeister markets of Germany, Italy, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, the campaign is an international collaboration on the part of the Wolfenbüttel-based spirits manufacturer. Patricia Sung, Regional Director Western Europe at Mast-Jägermeister SE explains: “Nightlife provides the space and the freedom to be yourself, to live out your creativity. That’s the universal insight we saw across Europe. By integrating artists and night lovers from different countries, we were able to create a highly relevant and locally adaptable campaign. It’s all about the stories of local meisters who bring the call to BE THE MEISTER front and center.”
The Berlin-based agency D&P spearheaded the creation of the European campaign. “Shooting an international spot with artists from different countries was a real challenge, both conceptually and organisationally, but it was worth the effort. We succeeded in using local meisters to adapt the campaign and tell the story in an authentic way,” says Dirk Henkelmann, managing director of D&P.
Paul Ward, who directed numerous international campaigns for renowned brands such as adidas Originals, VICE and Ray Ban, and supervised production of “BE THE MEISTER”, states: “Meister is a big word. For Jägermeister, we translated it into inspiring meister stories that authentically convey the campaign’s positive vision.”
Client: Mast-Jägermeister – Patricia Sung, Kathleen Schied
Creative and lead agency: D&P
Creative: Philipp Migeod, Friederike Sinning, Alissa Verzhbitskaya, Juliane Bleul, Dirk Henkelmann, Philip Borchardt
Consulting: Daniela Kracun, Carolin Bremer, Merve Kocyigit
Digital agency: LaRed
Creative: Axel Schilling, Lilli Kahana, Malte Vogt, Nelli Lück, Julia Kraus, Isabella Ducrest Consulting: Gregor Meyer, Sven Springer
Production: Stink with
Director: Paul Ward
Producer: Isabel Kast
Director of Photography: Cezary Zacharewicz
Photographer: Nikolas Tusl
Social media team: Emmy & Alex