BACARDÍ

The Sound of Rum x Top Notch

How BACARDÍ raised the bar by becoming part of music culture, instead of claiming it.

In a category under pressure, we didn’t shout louder. We listened. Instead of pushing product in a market where Gen Z drinks less and skips ads, we helped BACARDÍ not just tap into culture, but actively contribute to it. By teaming up with Dutch heritage label Top Notch and putting music at the centre, BACARDÍ didn’t chase attention; they earned it.

The challenge

BACARDÍ is the number one spirits brand in the Netherlands. But the category is under pressure. Younger generations are drinking less and don’t automatically connect with alcohol brands.

To drive cultural relevance, BACARDÍ needed to show up differently. Not by talking more about the product, but by finding a meaningful place inside contemporary culture. A place that felt genuine, credible and worth paying attention to, in a market where shouting louder was no longer an option.

Community insight

For younger audiences, cultural relevance isn’t built through campaigns, but through participation. Music remains a space where brands earn trust only by contributing something real and honoring the culture they step into.

The idea

Building on its long-standing reputation of bringing people together through the power of music, we linked BACARDÍ with Top Notch, the Dutch hip-hop label that has shaped music culture for decades. The timing mattered: Top Notch’s 30th anniversary offered the perfect stage to honor iconic tracks while looking forward.

Together, BACARDÍ and Top Notch created The Sound of Rum. Two artist duos, each pairing an established name with an emerging voice, reimagined classic tracks from Top Notch’s 30-year catalogue. NEMS reworked Frenna’s “My Love” with amapiano and dancehall influences while Yung Felix reimagined Sef’s “Diamanten” with his genre-crossing energy.

Artists collaborated freely in the studio, with BACARDÍ enabling the moment - not owning it - by helping new music rooted in cultural history come to life. Inspiring a new generation to embrace BACARDÍ’s ‘Do What Moves You’ philosophy.

The roll-out

The collaboration launched as part of Top Notch’s 30-year anniversary, instantly positioning it as a cultural moment.

The creative process lived where it belonged: on the artists’ and Top Notch’s channels, with the reimagined tracks released across major streaming platforms. Influencers helped build hype on Instagram by sharing the tracks, while paid amplification across digital channels extended the reach beyond the core music community.

The project concluded with a wrap-up party bringing together 300+ guests from the local music scene. Exclusive merchandise, available only that night, turned the release into a true cultural celebration.

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