Let Life Surprise You

With Americans drinking an average of only 1/3 of a glass per year, Champagne is relegated and often dismissed as a special occasion drink to be brought out infrequently, only for formal occasions. Over the last 10 years, it’s taken a back seat to Prosecco and other spirits which have grown through high investment, novelty innovation and shifting consumer trends.

As the largest Champagne brand in the U.S., Veuve Clicquot did not have a market share problem. Instead, it saw a broader opportunity to find a new place for Champagne in the hearts and glasses of a finicky set of drinkers—millennials. In particular, millennials who were unfamiliar with Veuve Clicquot’s inspiring brand story and saw Champagne as unrelatable; a fancy drink for fancy people. This perception couldn’t be further from the truth.

Madame Clicquot herself was our muse as Rokkan devised a campaign that could recast this timeless brand for a modern audience. Having lost her husband Francois Clicquot suddenly at the age of 27, Madame Clicquot courageously stepped into his shoes. At a time when women were expected to tend to family affairs and entertain at society balls, widow Clicquot went to work, becoming one of the first modern day businesswomen. Rokkan seized on the aspirational spirit of Madame Clicquot, capturing the heart of today’s millennial consumers who aim to live life on their own terms.

With a millennial target, Rokkan also took a decidedly digital approach, enlisting the help of celebrated director Peter Glanz and award winning actress Juliette Binoche to produce a series of three short films, each illustrating every day modern life lessons for the bold and unforgettable woman of today’s generation – the Madame Clicquot woman.