Planteray

The Approach

As former bartenders ourselves, we knew the best way to tell Planteray’s story wasn’t just through cocktails, but through the people who make them. From this insight, we created Bartender Stories on Bar Classics, a narrative-driven video series pairing bartenders with Planteray Rum bottles that held personal significance, whether tied to a defining career moment, a cherished memory, or an emotion.

To showcase the versatility of their range, we selected five very different world-class bars in New York and London. Over two weeks, our video production team filmed in two bars in New York and three in London, navigating tight schedules and the challenges of live bar environments to capture authentic stories.

Authenticity was central to our approach. During pre-production, we arranged calls with each bartender to learn about their personality, journey, and connection to Planteray Rum. Together, we shaped story arcs tailored not just to the bottles and cocktails, but also to the people and the venues. By the time filming began, each episode had a clear narrative: why this bar in New York or London, why this cocktail mattered, and why Planteray Rum was at its heart.

Each interview lasted one to two hours, giving bartenders space to relax and speak openly. That trust carried into post-production, where our focus was to ensure their voices came through truthfully in every edit. To build a stronger sense of place, we also captured b-roll of each venue, capturing the details and energy that make them some of the world’s best bars. Alongside video, we provided professional photography services, capturing cocktails, bartenders, and bottles to extend the campaign across digital channels.