It was recently reported that that Rosebank had commissioned an orchestral piece to celebrate their latest release and the reopening of the distillery.
Never a distillery to be outdone, Macallan have also launched their latest ad campaign featuring a song composed by Scottish singer-songwriter Emeli Sandé. The song is also accompanied by a music video starring David Tennant.
‘Roots’ is part of Macallan’s bi-centennial celebrations and their on-going 200 Years Young campaign. The song is a celebration of Macallan’s impressive legacy and reflects how Macallan’s past influences their present and their future.
Indeed, lyrics such as “the past will always guide us” could almost have been written by Macallan’s marketing team. That said, the song is still pleasant and moving and it’s subject matter is definitely fitting for such a timeless brand in its 200th year.
The idea of ‘roots struck a chord with Sandé, who said “This area of Scotland is my home, it will always be where I come back to and where I feel rooted. Roots means legacy. You have your roots and they spread so far around the surrounding ground… but at the end of the day, everything is coming from the same point.”
These themes of roots and legacy are echoed in the video. David Tennant once again finds himself time travelling as he portrays a Macallan employee during two different eras - the past and the future. The symbolism is a little on the nose, it nevertheless effectively conveys the idea of Macallan’s unwavering commitment to their craft.
The video was directed by renowned director Jérémie Rozan. During the film, footage of Tennant is also intersected with shots of Sandé performing the song in Macallan’s stunning Cave Privée.
Speaking of the collaboration, macallan creative director Jaume Ferras noted: “At the Macallan, our roots run deep. We have distilled since 1824 at Easter Elchies where our distillery still thrives today. ‘Roots’ is the Macallan’s story of progression — it is about time and patience as we continuously travel from past to present and project forward to the future, and this is the ultimate way for us to artistically express our legacy across the globe.”
Pour yourself a dram of Macallan and check out the full music video below.
