Jack Daniel’s – Multi-Platform Brand Campaigns

During my time working with Arnold Worldwide / Havas, I played a central role in producing visual content for Jack Daniel’s, one of the world’s most iconic spirits brands.
My contributions spanned art direction, photography, and directing, shaping social campaigns, print ads, OOH executions, and international placements including the London Underground.

I collaborated across creative, strategy, and production teams to deliver imagery and films that felt authentically “Jack” raw, honest, crafted, and grounded in the brand’s Tennessee heritage.

Two blacksmiths working with molten metal in a forge, one shoveling coal and the other pouring molten metal into a container, with fire and flames in the background.
A bottle of Jack Daniel's whiskey, a glass of whiskey with peach slices, a shot glass, a small empty shot glass, a sliced peach, and a decanter on a white marble surface with shadows and lighting effects.

Challenge

Jack Daniel’s campaigns demand a rare balance of:

  • Authenticity - everything must feel handcrafted and true to heritage

  • Consistency - visuals must align with strict global brand guidelines

  • Adaptability - assets must work for social, OOH, print, motion, and international placements

  • Speed + Precision - campaign windows are tight, and creative needs shift quickly

  • High production value across stills and motion in every deliverable

  • Additionally, the brand’s massive global audience requires content that:

  • Works in vertical, horizontal, and large-format print

  • Can tell a complete story in a single frame

  • Translates across regions and cultures

A cheerful older man with a long white beard and mustache, wearing a cap, smiling widely in front of wooden stairs.

Approach

Art Direction & Creative Development

  • As Art Director, I collaborated with writers, producers, and senior creatives to:

  • Develop visual concepts that honored JD’s legacy

  • Build storyboards + shot lists for both photo + video

  • Create moodboards and color references

  • Plan sets, lighting styles, and camera approach

  • Ensure every asset aligned with the brand’s “authentic craft” ethos

  • This shaped the tone of each campaign gritty, warm, honest, and cinematic.

Photography Still Campaigns & OOH

As Photographer, I executed high-end stills across multiple formats:

  • Hero bottle photography

  • Lifestyle/bar environment imagery

  • Cinematic product details

  • Editorial-style shots for social

  • Large-format images used in out-of-home

  • Print campaign assets featured in the London Tube

I established lighting setups that emphasized:

  • The texture of glass

  • Warm tones of whiskey

  • Subtle reflections

  • Grain, grit, and JD’s signature atmosphere

This photography became the backbone of print, digital, and global placements.

A black and white photo of a woman with curly hair smiling at the camera, with a dark background and some blurred objects or structures visible.

Collaboration with Havas/Arnold Creative Teams

Working inside the Havas/Arnold system meant collaborating with:

  • Senior art directors

  • Copywriters

  • Producers

  • Retouchers

  • Animators

  • Strategy & brand teams

This ensured campaign storytelling aligned with JD’s messaging pillars, global brand standards, and the needs of market-specific rollouts.

Results

  • Delivered multi-platform content used across social, print, outdoor, and digital.

  • Produced photography used in international placements, including the London Underground.

  • Contributed to pitch content and new-business wins while at Arnold/Havas.

  • Created visual assets that reinforced Jack Daniel’s reputation for premium, authentic craftsmanship.

  • Played a key role in continuing the visual legacy of one of the world’s most recognizable spirit brands.

A person pouring cocktail from a shaker into a glass with ice, with bottles of alcohol and garnishes including lemon slices and cherries on a wooden board.

Directing — Motion for Social & Broadcast

As Director and on-set production lead, I oversaw motion captures including

  • Short-form social films

  • Bottle movement shots

  • Pour sequences

  • Lifestyle moments

  • OOH motion variants

  • Content adapted for multi-platform rollout

I directed crews, talent, stylists, and set teams to maintain visual cohesion across every piece of the campaign.

This led to assets that were consistent, cinematic, and brand-true whether viewed in a vertical Instagram Story or a 30-foot subway installation.

Black and white photo of a live rock band performing on stage with the lead singer singing into a microphone, and other band members playing guitars and bass, with an audience in the foreground.

Impact

My work with Jack Daniel’s helped strengthen the brand’s creative consistency across its global ecosystem ensuring that every image, video, and piece of content felt unmistakably “Jack.”

The combination of art direction, photography, and directing positioned me as a creative capable of delivering on large, legacy brands with high stakes and complex storytelling needs, contributing to Arnold/Havas’ award-winning body of work during my time there.