Cantera Negra Tequila Launches Its First Brand Advertising Campaign

Cantera Negra Tequila (“black quarry” in Spanish) is a small-batch tequila crafted from the finest blue agave, grown to maturity in the fertile valley regions of Jalisco, Mexico, famous for its black volcanic soil. Owned by a joint venture between Two Sons Imports, LLC, and Deutsch Family Wine and Spirits, Cantera Negra Tequila is well on its way toward becoming a staple in luxury bars across the US. 

In its first brand advertising campaign, Cantera Negra partnered with agency Colossus to showcase its fantastical origin story filled with magical agave plants, wild horses and lava-spewing volcanoes. The spots, shot by Academy-award-winning director Joachim Back, take on the aesthetic of classic Hollywood cinema, combined with the aesthetic of Sergio Leone Western movies. Using analog techniques like stop-motion and matte painting– a traditional practice where backdrops are painted by hand on glass or massive stretched canvases– the creative evokes a timeless, cinematic feeling.

“From a creative perspective, there is nothing more exciting to us than a brand with real substance behind it,” said Colossus ECD, Travis Robertson. “Lucky for us, Cantera Negra is just that. Aside from being a delicious tequila, the brand has a solid foundational story to tell. We elevated that story using fantasy, craft and volcanos.”

Rather than a traditional male protagonist, Cantera instead highlights an enigmatic female spokesperson. The brand’s heroine is played by Mexican actress Lucia Gomez-Robledo, of “How to Survive Being Single” (Amazon Prime). Unlike the rugged male bravado and overly sexualized female characters often portrayed in the spirits category, Cantera Negra takes a decidedly different path.

“The Cantera woman is a badass,” said Robertson. “Like Frida Kahlo meets James Bond. At a Mexican rodeo. In an active lava field. While drinking tequila. Responsibly.”

The campaign will initially run across social and digital channels.

“The ultra-premium tequila segment is highly competitive, with growing consumer expectations. With Colossus, we saw an opportunity to create a distinctive campaign for Cantera Negra Tequila, tapping into our target’s desire for quality, meaningful experiences, and adventure. Our new brand world, which we call ‘Cantera Country,’ is a subtly whimsical world, with the volcano, a symbol of Jalisco, Mexico at the center of the work. The volcano helps us communicate about the rich volcanic soil that makes our tequilas smooth and flavourful and adds a sense of connection and adventure that our consumer is seeking,”  added Lauren Borstein, Premium White Spirits Brand Director, Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits.

Credits

Client: Cantera Negra Tequila

Client Team:

VP, Spirits Marketing:  Justin Miller

Director, Premium Spirits:  Lauren Borstein

Brand Manager, Cantera Negra: Elissa Rodriguez

Colossus:

Executive Creative Directors/Founders: Travis Robertson, Greg Almeida

Managing Director/Founder: Jonathan Balck

ACD/Art: Ryan Dalton

ACD/Copy: Matt Cermak

Executive Producer: Trish Dowley

Assistant Producer: Brittaney Kelley

Account Director: Ryan Smith

Production Co: Minted

Director: Joachim Back

Director of Photography: Jan Velicky

Executive Producers: Lance O’Connor, Edina Sallay

Line Producer: Tim Kerrison

Production Service Co: Stillking Films

Executive Producer: Lida Ordnungova

Editorial Co: Nomad

Managing Director/Partner: Liv Lawton

Editor: James Norris

Assistant Editor: Indy Howland

Assistant Editor: Caio Cavalcante

VFX & Finishing: Subset Studio

CG Supervisor: Caleb Ollivant

Executive Producer: Graham Dunglinson

Senior Producer: Sarah Woods

Lead Nuke Compositor: Chris Russo

Nuke Compositor: Alex Unruh

Nuke compositor: Michael Dobbs

Nuke Compositor: Shandy Tam

Color: Alter Ego

Colorist: Eric Whipp

Executive Producer: Pravina Sippy

Audio: Nomad

Managing Director/Partner: Liv Lawton

Sound Engineer: Andy Humphreys

Audio Producer: Mana Catford

Source: Colossus

  Cantera Negra Tequila, Colossus, Lauren Borstein, Tequila, Travis Robertson