It Starts With Cointreau Hero Image

It Starts With Cointreau

Digital Social Video

While mixing cocktails for a variety of occasions, the one-and-only Dan Levy shows why Cointreau belongs in every bar cart.

Cointreau wanted to show off its versatility, demonstrating why the iconic orange liqueur is an essential ingredient for a variety of cocktails and hosting occasions, ranging from garden parties to holiday soirees. To make its case as a bar cart staple, Cointreau tapped The Foundry to create a video-first, talent-driven campaign for Food & Wine and Entertainment Weekly.

Celebrity Talent Custom Video Original Photography

The Foundry reached out to Dan Levy, the hilarious A-lister, to star in the six-part video series. In each video, he collaborated with a chef, author or hosting entrepreneur to plan the menu and vibe for a different entertaining occasion. While Dan’s personality animated each video, culinary and lifestyle experts like Sohla El-Waylly (chef and restaurateur), Nyesha Arrington (chef and television personality), Candice Kumai (chef and author) and Breegan Jane (television host and entrepreneur) lent credibility to the tips and recipes.

Page Views
M
Longform Video Views
M

Of course, the true star of the series was Cointreau. Each video culminated in Dan making a Cointreau cocktail perfect for the gathering, such as a Sparkling Cosmopolitan for a holiday cocktail party and a Lemon Basil Margarita for an afternoon garden party. The variety of videos and recipes allowed Cointreau to drive home its central message — that the orange liqueur is a must-have for any host, no matter what the occasion.

The videos were promoted through audience-targeted pre-roll, on-site promotions and amplified posts from Food & Wine and Entertainment Weekly’s social handles. The videos were also featured in premium articles on Food & Wine and Entertainment Weekly, which included written recipes for each cocktail with an interactive element that adjusted the measurements of the cocktail for a group, in case readers wanted to make a full pitcher for their guests. The placement on Food & Wine and Entertainment Weekly produced a halo effect for Cointreau, resulting in massive viewership and engagement.

‘It Starts With Cointreau’ not only delivered on Cointreau’s creative goals for the campaign — promoting its versatility and hosting messaging — it raised the brand’s visibility. Through the premium articles and social cut-downs, the videos received a total of 40.8 million views, with the longform videos garnering 7.4 million. These numbers far exceeded benchmarks for the campaign, showing an excitement for the videos that will translate to viewers incorporating Cointreau into their hosting occasions.