Bacardi is the largest family owned spirit company in the world. It was founded in 1862 by Facundo Bacardi i Masso in Cuba. Bacardi has a portfolio of over 200 brands and labels - however, it is mostly know for its Bacardi Rum.
Bacardi is considered the most popular rum in the world. The brand is iconic and beloved by all rum drinkers. The issue is that no one is drinking rum.
Studies show that rum’s seat at the bar of popular spirits has been taken by Tequila. Vodka is still ranked the number 1 spirit in the US and Tequila is now number 2. As of 2025, Rum has slipped down to the number 5 spot. Tequila is rated as the most popular spirit amongst Gen z and Millennials. Rum is mostly drank by Gen X.
Tequila's growth is fueled by premium brands, celebrity endorsements, and a rise in ready-to-drink (RTD) tequila cocktails. In contrast, rum has faced a negative perception of being overly sweet, hindering its growth compared to other spirits
The Insight
Rum hasn’t disappeared—it’s just been left behind by culture.
As younger drinkers chase premium tequila and vodka, rum has quietly lost its place at the bar—seen as outdated, overly sweet, and stuck in the past.
Yet Bacardi continues to be poured, ordered, and mixed.
Bacardi has transcended the rum category, living on in drinks, moments, and rituals where “rum” is no longer part of the conversation.
Rum Is Dead
“Rum Is Dead” is a cinematic campaign that stages the death of rum—only to reveal that Bacardi was never just rum to begin with.
Through funeral imagery, obituaries, and crime scene storytelling, the campaign reframes Bacardi as something beyond the category.
Because while rum may come and go, Bacardi is legacy. And legacy doesn’t die.
Long Live Bacardi.
The Opening Act
The campaign opens as a public investigation.
A series of deective noir inspired OOH posters and social placements turn the city into a crime scene, announcing the death of rum.
With bold, minimalist, Saul Bass inspired visuals and noir-inspired typography, each execution feels like a piece of evidence, building intrigue and inviting the public to question what really happened.
Social Post
Bacardi will invite everyone to tune into a livestream at 6pm from their social media pages, where a toast to rum will be had. When people log onto the livestream, they will see a toast and eulogy being given by our guest speaker. This will also be an introduction to the new brand ambassador.
Bacardi x Cardi B
To deliver the eulogy, we turned to someone who’s been connected to Bacardi long before the campaign.
Grammy Award–winning artist Cardi B is known for her electrifying personality, cultural influence, and sharp humor. She was once nicknamed “Bacardi” by her sister, a name that would later evolve into Cardi B.
In a campaign declaring the death of rum, there’s no one more fitting to speak at the funeral than someone who’s carried the name all along.
Following the livestream, Cardi introduces a signature Bacardi cocktail, inviting audiences to move from mourning to celebration.
Shared in real time across social, the drink becomes a ritual—marking the end of rum, and the continuation of Bacardi.
This moment propels the campaign into its final phase.
Bacardi Summer
After the funeral comes the repast—a celebration of what lives on.
With rum declared dead, Bacardi shifts the narrative from mourning to momentum—launching a summer-long takeover built around culture, music, and shared rituals.
From bars to block parties, Bacardi becomes the drink of the season—proving that while rum may be gone, Bacardi is everywhere.
The Mojito
Every summer has its drink.
From the Espresso Martini to the Lemon Drop to the Lychee Martini, cocktail culture moves fast—driven by trends, creators, and social momentum.
For Bacardi Summer, we bring back an icon.
The Mojito—a timeless rum cocktail known for its simplicity and refreshment—returns as the drink of Summer 2026.
Across TikTok, Instagram, X, and YouTube, the Mojito becomes unavoidable. Recipe content, creator partnerships, and social conversation position it not just as a drink, but as the ritual of the summer.
The movement extends into the real world, as Bacardi partners with top bars and restaurants in key markets—including Los Angeles, New York, Atlanta, Chicago, and Miami—to feature signature Mojito variations made with Bacardi.
With the Mojito leading the moment, Bacardi will expand beyond the bar and takeover the summer itself.
From music festivals to day parties, outdoor concerts to city-wide celebrations, Bacardi becomes a constant presence across the season’s most anticipated cultural moments.
At major festivals including Bonnaroo, Governors Ball, The Roots Picnic, Lollapalooza, Broccoli City, and Rolling Loud, Bacardi appears through immersive brand activations—bringing the Mojito to the center of the experience.
The takeover continues with a series of Bacardi-sponsored parties across key U.S. markets, featuring top local DJs and talent. Each event is designed to feel like a stop on a larger cultural circuit—captured through photo and video content that fuels social, building anticipation as the party moves from city to city.
Extending the experience beyond the event, a YouTube series documents the movement—spotlighting the music, the energy, and the moments that define Bacardi Summer.
