Cornett Helps Buffalo Trace Distill Local Legend Freddie Johnson into Soda Brand

Jan. 27, 2021

Creative agency Cornett is helping Buffalo Trace Distillery launch Freddie’s Old Fashioned Soda, a craft soda brand named in honor of its long-time tour guide and Bourbon Hall of Famer Freddie Johnson. The assignment was to distill Freddie’s personality into a national soda brand.

Cornett designed packaging, a website and a social media campaign and channels in which the gregarious character—a colorful, well-known figure around Central Kentucky—plays a starring role. A third-generation Buffalo Trace Distillery employee, Johnson has a knowledge and passion for bourbon that have made him a beloved Distillery icon.

Buffalo Trace saw a shot to grow beyond a gift shop novelty, so Cornett crafted a brand image that could live up to its namesake or even stand alone as a strong soda brand for those unfamiliar with Johnson or the bourbon brand. Buffalo Trace is the world’s most award-winning distillery, and it’s located in Frankfort, Kentucky.

Freddie’s Old Fashioned Soda are launching in three SKUs, Root Beer, Ginger Ale, and Ginger Beer, which are differentiated by brown, white, and green bottles. Design elements are minimal, fun, and playful: Bottles feature an illustration of Johnson and a word balloon in which he’s spouting one of his favorite lines, “Hey Daddy-O!” Bottlenecks feature more Freddiespeak, such as “How Cool is That?” “Stay Cool!” or “Isn’t That Neat?” Text is minimal; other than the product name, the label mentions that Freddie’s is 12 oz. and made with natural herbs and ingredients.

Cornett’s ECD Tim Jones said:

“Freddie’s Sodas is all about stories: Sharing, making, and telling a great story while enjoying a cold soda with friends. We tried to capture that on the six-pack and case with images of Freddie fishing, working around the distillery, and riding the iconic buffalo on the water tower.”

Johnson’s warm, joyful personality shines through in Cornett’s creative. In one spot, he reminisces about the fishing trips he went on with his dad and granddad as a boy— some of the best memories he has—which always involved a tub filled with frosty root beer. As he does, the camera focuses on the cold vapor that emits when the bottle opens and how the root beer changes color when he adds a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

He segues to Freddie’s Old Fashioned and how it allows folks to laugh and share stories.

Johnson said:

“When you taste my sodas, you’ll start to reminisce. Even when you realize the bottle is empty, those memories, that moment will live on.”

 

His presence is seen all over Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.