Wild Turkey has chosen Australia as the first country to release its new global creative campaign and platform, Trust Your Spirit.

Featuring the brand’s Creative Director and spokesperson, Matthew McConaughey, Trust Your Spirit encourages people to be bold, unapologetically themselves, and stay true to who they are.

Shot on location in McConaughey’s hometown of Austin, Texas, the eight short films also embody the spirit and home of Wild Turkey in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky through archived footage and state-of-the-art projection mapping.

The campaign will launch in Australia via a series of TVCs, starting with two of the short films – Jimmy’s Spirit, a homage to Master Distiller Jimmy Russell, in tandem with a creative spot, The Stars.

Portraying the iconic Wild Turkey rickhouse at dusk, Jimmy’s Spirit channels the Wild Turkey story of the Russells. It sees McConaughey toast to Jimmy Russell, Wild Turkey’s Master Distiller, who has always trusted his spirit in crafting the perfect Kentucky bourbon, culminating in “Here’s to Jimmy and his spirit – he trusted it”.

The Stars finds McConaughey on the picturesque grounds of the Wild Turkey distillery, gazing upon the sky and reflecting on man’s relationship with a celestial universe. The roof of the Kentucky rickhouse frames a time-lapse projection of shooting stars with long exposure photography. It concludes with an observation from McConaughey drawing parallels across humans and stars – each has their own unique sparkle and spirit. He remarks that the world can be a beautiful place “if we all trust our spirit” . . . as he watches the sun break the horizon, in true McConaughey fashion.

Paolo Marinoni, Marketing Director, Campari Australia and New Zealand said: “Wild Turkey has been made the same way for generations, with each bottle standing as a lasting reminder of the importance of staying true to yourself and seeking out moments in life that are rich and meaningful.

“Trust Your Spirit marks a turning point for Wild Turkey. It delivers a unique and dynamic message, wholly authentic to the ethos and legacy of the brand. This platform illustrates Wild Turkey’s bold personality and point of view, while continuing to pay homage to its rich history and craft.”

Matthew McConaughey, Wild Turkey Creative Director, said: “Trust Your Spirit delivers eight short films in various formats that we will air all over the globe. We explored three territories to passionately convey the brand’s championing spirit, the spirit itself, and the human spirit.

“In all its forms and just like Wild Turkey, Trust Your Spirit is bold and unapologetically confident. This spirit of trust dates back for generations of the Russell family – world-renowned bourbon makers who toast those who also trust their spirit. We’re very proud of this campaign. It’s about celebrating that ethereal voice we all have inside. It’s life undiluted.”

The TVCs will air across the Nine and Ten Networks in Australia until November 2021. Jimmy’s Spirit airs from July 23 and The Stars airs from July 25.

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