The espresso martini is one of the most popular drinks in the world. But with people cutting back on nights out amid the cost of living crisis, Kahlúa has called on a special guest to reassure drinkers they can still enjoy coffee-based cocktails at home. The brand tapped widely recognised actor and producer Salma Hayek Pinault as the face of a new marketing campaign, created by agency Wieden+Kennedy London. “Stir Up” positions Kahlúa as a treat that doesn’t require a special occasion.
Mexican director Rodrigo Valdes helmed a series of spots inspired by the melodrama of telenovelas. In one film, Hayek lounges on a couch wearing a yellow gown that matches the liqueur’s bottle. She assures viewers: “You’re not a couch potato, you’re a couch espresso martini.”
Meanwhile, a boring dinner party is livened up by a woman busting out a bottle of Kahlúa and Hayek kicking in the door holding an espresso martini, announcing: “Friday called. It’s bored of wine.”
“We’ve created a really authentic and ownable place for Kahlúa to live in,” Wieden+Kennedy London creative directors Philippa Beaumont and Freddy Taylor quoted. “It’s an iconic brand full of personality, and we wanted to do that justice with a campaign that felt as bold as the drink itself.”
The campaign also incorporates out-of-home ads spotlighting espresso martinis, mudslides and Kahlúa with milk. It will launch in the U.S. in November at the same time as a label refresh designed to pay homage to the brand’s Mexican heritage.
“We’re over the top and proud,” Malibu and Kahlúa global vice president of marketing Craig van Niekerk said in a statement. “We are channeling our Mexican personality to inspire a new generation of home mixologists with a fun and dramatic alternative.”
