Michael B. Jordan Tapped by BACARDÍ Rum to Direct ‘The Angel’s Share’ (video)

BACARDÍ® rum today unveiled “The Angel’s Share,” a digital short film co-directed by actor and filmmaker Michael B. Jordan – marking the first digital ad spot for the brand’s new premium collection, which launched earlier this year. As part of its continued efforts towards the premiumization of the rum category, BACARDÍ enlisted Jordan – a self-professed “rum guy” – to cinematically capture the history, heritage and story behind the aged premium rum portfolio.

 Jordan stepped behind the camera with Emmy-nominated director Paul Hunter to tell the remarkable story of family, legacy and the BACARDÍ premium rum aging process. The rich, narrative-driven film centers on “The Angel’s Share” – the beautiful term used to describe that as a spirit is aged in a barrel, some of the liquid evaporates. What is lost is known as ‘the angel’s share’, and as BACARDÍ ages its premium rums under the Caribbean sun, more angel’s share is lost than other spirits. With shots of aged rum barrels, dancing and old family photographs, the film celebrates the vibrancy, traditions and warmth of the brand’s Caribbean roots.

“This is an exciting time for rum, and as a rum guy, I knew I had to be a part of this project,” said Michael B. Jordan. “Rum has always been a part of my life. My grandmother made her famous rum cakes which were only ever made with BACARDÍ – so I feel a special connection to the brand. It’s been a pleasure to work with my friend and mentor Paul Hunter and the entire team to bring my creative vision to ‘The Angel’s Share.’”

Conceptualized by Jordan and Hunter, the artfully crafted film follows three characters – a Maestro de Ron, a bartender and a Bacardi family member – who each tell their own version of the angel’s share story. The new campaign seeks to educate consumers on how rum is crafted through the immersive Latin Caribbean inspired story. “The Angel’s Share” film is part of Jordan’s latest effort to step behind the camera and develop a short film that creatively sheds light on the BACARDÍ premium aging process.

 “We first connected with Michael last year when he attended No Commission – our art platform in partnership with The Dean Collection. When it came time to produce ‘The Angel’s Share’ film, we knew he was the perfect person to get behind the camera to tell our story,” said Roberto Ramirez Laverde, Vice President, BACARDÍ for North America. “Watching Michael on set during the shoot was amazing – he has an eye for storytelling and was extremely adept at bringing the story to life.”

 In April, as part of the premium portfolio, BACARDÍ, the world’s most awarded rum, launched BACARDÍ Añejo Cuatro and BACARDÍ Gran Reserva Diez to join the pre-existing BACARDÍ Gran Reserva Limitada, along with the redesign and repackaging of the private family blend BACARDÍ Reserva Ocho. Each of the exceptional liquids in the portfolio provides a new way to enjoy BACARDÍ, introducing a more sophisticated, complex side of rum.

 “The Angel’s Share” campaign, which was developed by BBDO New York, launched today and will run throughout a variety of digital channels, targeted towards super premium environments, including connected TV (NFL, DirectTV, Turner, Sling, ESPN), YouTube (Vevo, Condé Nast, Complex) and full episode players (Hulu, ABC, CBS, NBC, Univision). Out-of-home will run in markets including New York, Miami, Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington D.C. and Atlanta. Social vignettes will live on the BACARDÍ owned channels, as well as Michael B. Jordan’s Instagram, where he shared content from the campaign earlier today.

 For more information on BACARDÍ rum and cocktail recipes, visit www.BACARDI.com.