Patrón Perfectionists
Philippines
South Africa
Africa, Asia
2019, 2020
As one of the most prestigious and challenging mixology competitions in the world, the title of ‘Patrón Perfectionists Finalist’ is a dream for any bartender. With hundreds of entrants representing top bars from across the globe, these finals are a meeting ground for some of the most skilled, fashionable and innovative mixologists and their creations.
In 2019-20, as part of efforts to spread the word and inspire more bartenders in the Southeast Asia and South Africa regions, we were tasked with bringing the regional finalists’ stories to their screens. Through a collaborative effort with the bartenders themselves, we stitched together a 4-part video series that cantered around the key tenets of Patrón Perfectionists ideals – Flavour, Originality, Style and Service.
While we targeted the relatively small bartending communities in the finalist's countries, we garnered nearly 2 million views through top-notch cinematography and narrative structure.
We managed to reach a vast number of people through the careful selection of relevant creators and distribution platforms.
We focused on the Patrón Perfectionists finals in South Africa and Philipines - two countries with vastly different mixology cultures, brought together by their love for great cocktails and a penchant for perfection.
The Patrón Perfectionists competition is one of the most unique, challenging and exciting mixology events, that features only cocktails made from the Patrón tequila variants. While the competition is a massive stage for skilled bartenders, it is equally important for the messaging of the brand Tequila Patrón.
The making of Patrón cocktails promotes it’s ultra-premium, luxurious quality, so the spirit can be appreciated as an enjoyable drink. This serves to change the perception of the spirit from a shots & shooters liquid to one that can be used as the base of delicious, superior cocktails.
Our goal was to create content around the regional finalists in South Africa and Southeast Asia – telling their stories to inspire the next generation of Perfectionists in the region. And so, “The Path to Perfection” series was born.
After conducting primary research in both markets through focus group discussions, online surveys & one-on-one calls, we determined that the top digital platform used by bartenders were Instagram & Facebook and their interests lay in educational, skill enhancement content.
To strike a real chord with these mixologists, it was important for us to not only showcase the lifestyle of a Perfectionist but also share insights on how to elevate them to that level. Our series explored how finalists, David Van Zyl (South Africa) and Jason Hussein Ali (Philippines) transcended the average and ordinary to become true Perfectionists.
To further assist them on the path to perfection, we brought in their mixology mentors and style experts to help in carefully sharpening their skills for the final round in Mexico.
For David, we partnered with Menzi Mcunu, winner of GQ SA Best Dressed Man award in 2017, a luxury creator and owner of made-to-measure suiting brand ‘Afrocentric Gentlemvn’. As a special gesture, besides the styling and image tips from Menzi, we had a custom 3-piece suit tailored for David’s finals campaign.
For Jason, we worked with style-curator and hugely revered Filipino actor, Sue Prado to take his showmanship to the next level. Sue helped to give Jason an edge over the competition with her unmatched dedication to poise and sophistication.
During the course of filming, each member of the team felt more inspired by the craft and we look forward to the next generation of Perfectionists, awaiting the opportunity to tell their story.
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