Hennessy brings back unconventional cognac pairing recipes to grounded travellers across APAC
With travel restrictions remaining for the foreseeable future, Hennessy introduces the “Traveling Tastes” edition to their Masterclass by Declassified series, designed to whet the appetites of audiences across APAC who are feeling restless from the lack of travel.
The films are rolling out across the 8 Asia markets over several weeks; Taiwan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Vietnam, Australia, Thailand, Singapore, Philippines. TBWA\Hong Kong ideated and curated the campaign and BOLT by TBWA\Hong Kong handled the film production. L’Atelier Asia handled media distribution across the APAC markets.
Hosted by May Chow, an award-winning chef from Hong Kong, the Masterclass takes the audience on a tour across a variety of iconic local Asian foods through the lens of Hennessy cognac meal pairings, while challenging the widespread highbrow perception of the drink.
“Although restrictions on travel have grounded many of our travel-loving customers, their appetite for exploring new flavours and cuisines has not waned. We wanted to continue to inspire and delight our audiences, following the success and excitement around our inaugural edition of our “Stay connected. Stay inspired” series. Our Travelling Taste Masterclass series with May Chow is designed to provide a shared educational experience, fulfilling the gap for exploratory gastronomic adventure,” said Rane Xue, chief marketing officer, Moet Hennessy Asia Pacific, chief transformation officer, China
Despite local restrictions gradually lifting across the region, border restrictions will most likely remain, providing frustration for travel lovers all over Asia. A key part of travel is the gastronomic experiences and exploring the variety of culturally diverse cuisines, which is one of the activities missed by most travellers.
The “Traveling Tastes” Edition’s intention is to connect Hennessy’s audience with those missing the experience of tasting local cuisines on their travels. By disrupting the conventional pairing approach of selecting drinks based on what is being eaten, dishes were instead chosen based on the flavour profiles best suited to Hennessy Cognac; sweet, tangy, fatty and spicy. From this principle, consumers had the freedom to pick a variety of dishes to pair with, instead of feeling bound to specific ones.
“As markets move into months of lockdown, it is important brands find those meaningful moments to connect with their audience, as empathy becomes key to creating relevant work, which resonates with their consumers.” Jan Cho, managing director, TBWA\Hong Kong
The “Traveling Tastes” Edition also helps to dispel certain preconceptions consumers have that Hennessy cognac can only be enjoyed neat; on the rocks; in simple mixes; or with expensive dishes. By pairing the drink with a wide variety of Asian foods, the Masterclass demonstrates the diversity of Hennessy cognac drinking occasions and changes particular long-held perceptions of the brand.
The Masterclass was hosted by celebrated Canadian-born Hong Kong chef May Chow, who was voted Asia’s Best Female Chef by Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants in 2017. She is also the chef and founder of acclaimed restaurants Little Bao, Second Draft, and Happy Paradise.