We developed a new territory for Hennessy XO: each drop of Hennessy XO is an odyssey. Far from the old stuffy codes of cognac, it was a true immersion into an ultra-sensory journey, putting the brand’s craftsmanship at the service of a unique experience for a new generation of consumers. Since 2016, we built three chapters with three different directors, each a distinct world, a different creative vision, a shared conviction that taste can be felt before it is understood.
CHAPTER I: NICOLAS WINDING REFN (2016)
We gave the director of Drive and Only God Forgives a completely blank canvas. “They had a clear concept, but it was a completely blank canvas,” Refn said. “Taste is all about what’s in your head, and interpretation. It allowed me to indulge myself with what I would want to see if I was to taste Hennessy.” What he created was a hypnotic journey through textured dreamscapes: water, earth, fire and metal, each corresponding to a tasting note, flowing seamlessly into the next. “Taste is a powerful sense. Experiencing certain tastes creates the sensation of a journey.” Refn called it simply: “I consider this as one of my films.”
CHAPTER II: RIDLEY SCOTT (2019)
For his first commercial in fifteen years, the director of Alien, Gladiator and Blade Runner agreed to turn each of Hennessy XO’s seven tasting notes into a distinct world. “I’m good at creating worlds, that’s my punch,” Scott said. “I saw the initial script and it immediately triggered something in me. I started scribbling and those scribbles turned into a detailed storyboard.” The result was a four-minute film populated by bronzed desert giants, androids fired by spicy synapses, beings gliding through fiery atmospheres, woodland spirits stirred by invisible forces. The 60-second edit premiered during the 91st Academy Awards. The film generated over 115 million views on social media. Our CCO Alexander Kalchev: “Even in our wildest dreams, we did not imagine we would be going to so many incredible new worlds.”
CHAPTER III: DAMIEN CHAZELLE (2023)
The director of Whiplash, La La Land and Babylon was asked to answer the same question through the lens of an entire human life. “Life is the Greatest Odyssey” juxtaposes space and time, following a musician swept away by his memories in a whirlwind where places, people, sound and emotion coalesce over the span of one sip of Hennessy XO. Scored by Academy Award winner Justin Hurwitz. Past, present and future, caught in a glass.
The platform broke new ground for cognac communication, driving consistent growth and cementing Hennessy among Interbrand’s Top 100 best global brands.
+17% growth across the platform’s lifespan. Hennessy entered Interbrand’s Best Global Brands.
