Dickel Whisky Campaign Honours Authentic Tennessee Roots

Production company Institute and director Ray Neutron recently teamed with ad agency Quaker City Mercantile to create two new spots showcasing the timeless appeal of Tennessee whisky brand George Dickel. 'Bottled in Bond' and 'Cascade Hollow' both highlight Dickel whisky as a centrepiece of community connection, illustrating the brand’s authentic Tennessee roots and approachable elegance.

As an inquisitive storyteller working across both photography and video, Ray had a clear vision to successfully balance the needs of a legacy brand while appealing to a modern and younger audience. “Often when trying to connect with that younger audience, brands want quick cuts or handheld camera moves to create a sense of dynamic action. But here, I really wanted to capture the brand’s heritage and presence throughout multiple generations. I had a wonderful collaboration with DP Cole Graham, and we were able to achieve an elegant cinematic flair with a slower pace, where shots can breathe even within just 15 seconds.”

The spots were shot in April over two days on location in Tennessee, both in Nashville and in Tullahoma, the site of Dickel’s historic distillery. Ray credits Nashville’s close-knit creative community for an easy and intuitive casting process, where talent came into the project with established real-world connections – lending an authentic feeling of familiarity to each spot. 

Ray also noted the upbeat energy and collaborative spirit of everyone on the crew, praising the shoot as a pleasant and seamless experience. Though it was his first time collaborating with DP Graham, the two instantly developed a shorthand and shared creative ideas back and forth. “This is a dream scenario working with a new DP for the first time, because you don’t want someone who’s just going to point the camera – you want someone who brings their own vision to the table and collaborates with you. Cole was recommended by our Institute EP Sean Lyness, and he was truly a pleasure to work with.”

Ray has previously worked with several other spirit brands in varying roles spanning director, photographer, and agency creative. But as a Southerner himself, working with a whisky brand was a special experience. “There are so many moments and touch points throughout my life where you’re with family and friends and folks from every generation are drinking whisky. It’s such a part of southern culture and it was really fun to get to celebrate that.”