In Grey Goose’s Cinematic World, Pleasure Is Non-Negotiable

Step inside the Grey Goose Hotel, where pleasure is always a top priority.

The Bacardi-owned vodka brand urges people to savor the moment in its debut work from recently appointed agency BBH USA, with support from Le Truc. The global campaign, “Grey Goose Hotel,” conveys the necessity of pleasure and introduces the tagline, “Make Time Wait.”

Grey Goose named BBH its creative agency of record in January. This is also its first international campaign under the helm of Aleco Azqueta, who became vice-president of global marketing in September after previously leading the brand in North America.

The spot features Oscar-winning actress Zoe Saldaña sneaking through the fictional Grey Goose Hotel with a hidden bottle of vodka to make cocktails with friends. The blaring horns from Björk’s 1995 track, “It’s Oh So Quiet,” punctuate the action. 

“When you look at where the world is today, it’s all about being as efficient as possible with your time,” Azqueta told ADWEEK. “We wanted people to take the time to realize that having those moments of pleasure is not a luxury; it should be a necessity. It’s not about being efficient with your time, it’s about enjoying those moments that matter.” 

While the Grey Goose Hotel is imaginary, the brand is exploring how to bring it into the real world through experiential activations at cultural events such as the U.S. Open, said Azqueta.

The campaign will run throughout the U.S. Open golf tournament, which is airing on NBC, USA, and Peacock. It will also have a presence at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open later this year. 

Cinematic flair

Directed by Martin Werner and filmed on Italy’s famed Lake Como, the spots are meant to feel “beautiful” and “like a real film,” said Azqueta.

Director of photography Rodrigo Prieto, who has credits including Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon and Greta Gerwig’s Barbie, shot the ads. 

When asked if Grey Goose would look to build out its own cinematic universe with the spots, Azqueta said the brand has a long history in branded entertainment, including its “Iconoclast” series on the Sundance Channel from 2005 to 2012 and its “In the Moment” talk show series with LeBron James and his media company Uninterrupted in 2022.

“In the world of branded entertainment, Grey Goose was one of the pioneers,” Azqueta said. “Finding ways outside of your traditional advertising to make sure that you’re connecting with consumers in a meaningful way is something we’re going to continue to do, and this platform really lends itself to it.”