Distillery Wild Turkey has taken a hint from Brett Michaels and decided to take their booze on the road, driving around a 50-foot bus as part of their #NeverTamed “bourbon tour.”
It sounds like a bit of a disaster waiting to happen, but the tour bus will be slinging up whiskey education as well as actual liquor. The spacious mobile quarters include a bar, lounge, and tasting room. Why? VP of Marketing Andrew Floor explains that he wanted to bring the enthusiasm and Kentucky hospitality of their tasting room worldwide. He states, “One of [the] reasons people fall in love with Kentucky is it’s so informal. We’ll show you some things and answer questions, then move to the back for a tasting…”
Well, all right. But how does any of this even legally work?
Never mind. The tour will last for seven months, stopping in major cities like Dallas, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, Portland, and New Orleans. Some new products will be introduced, like Wild Turkey Master’s Keep and Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel Rye. Father-son distilling duo Jimmy and Eddie Russell will be around, as well.
Wild Turkey has had some non-traditional advertising before. Their 2011 “Give ‘Em The Bird Campaign” stirred some controversy. Get the pun? DISCUS (Distilled Spirits Council of the United States) ruled that the ad, which showed various people, well, giving the bird, was indecent and should be removed. One bizarre version included photo links to a nun and a blow up doll that appeared as if they were going to lead to videos, but then lead to pop ups saying that these versions were essentially too brash for the internet.
The new #NeverTamed campaign is, ironically, a bit more tamed. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing. In addition to the boozy bus, #NeverTamed includes spotlights on various people who flirt with danger, like Alaskan surfer Michael Sharp and glassblower Caleb Siemon.
The bus is an interesting approach. Let’s hope no frat brothers crash it.
(all images courtesy of Wild Turkey)
