Introducing the new face of Hibiki – Emmy-winning actress Anna Sawai
If we asked every Whisky Magazine reader what their favourite Japanese whisky is, there is a good chance that Hibiki would average out on top. If we did the same thing but for blended whisky, that result could well repeat itself. Despite only being founded 37 years ago, Hibiki is a whisky-household name. And for good reason.
Well, reasons, but for the purpose of our community here at Whisky Magazine Australia reader we believe the quality and consistency of the liquid over decades has been a leading factor.
However, as with anything, marketing and branding are ever-so-crucial.
It is for this reason that the news of Hibiki’s first-ever global advertising campaign is of note. Partly because of what Hibiki hasn’t done for the past 37 years, and partly because of what it is doing now.
At the centre of the campaign is the appointment of Shōgun-star Anna Sawai as global ambassador, a role that will see her face on billboards in 26 countries around the world and starring in a new 30 second ad and two-part behind-the-scenes content series.
In her words, the ambassadorial role “feels natural because we share the same reverence for Japanese artistry and the beauty found in patience, balance and detail.”
The House of Suntory, owner of Hibiki and creator of Japan’s first malt whisky distillery, Yamazaki in 1923, adds Sawai’s background as an NZ-born, Japan-raised actress as another key reason, positioning her as the ideal candidate to “bridge ... tradition and modernity” and for “interpreting the quiet strength of Japanese culture for an international audience."
Anna Sawai says, “Hibiki represents a quiet kind of mastery, something refined over time with care and intention. As an actor, I’m drawn to that same philosophy of craft, where every choice is deliberate, and every moment matters. To represent a brand that embodies the harmony between nature, time and human artistry is incredibly meaningful to me.”
The new partnership coincides with a busy year for the ambassador as she stars as Yoko Ono in the upcoming The Beatles biopic films and in Amazon MGM Studios’ How to Rob a Bank, A24’s Enemies, as well as (Saint) Peter, by Peter Farrelly.
Hibiki’s The Masterpiece of Japanese Artistry campaign will run until the end of the year in 16 countries including Australia. It will also include a kimono installation at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York timed to the opening of the new terminal.
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How many whisky-stained hats can one passionate ambassador wear?
