In Ad World, Fate Favors the Bold

	St. Germain's Outstanding Ad

Welcome to the "Noticed Your Ad" series, where our self-proclaimed design snob discusses the ads that catch his eye -- for better or worse. Kevin welcomes your virtual high-fives, gripes or general commentary.

Ad: St. Germain

Agency Responsible: Sandstrom Design

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Forty-five Frenchmen ride bicycles through the hills of bohemia handpicking baskets of fragrant elderflowers. This isn't the setup for a joke about swishy foreigners, but rather the proud first steps taken in the distillation of the best spirit you've never had.

Tasting like nectar with flavors of pear and lychee, St. Germain liqueur delivers. If you don't believe my palate alone, the spirit won Double Gold and Best in Show at the 2007 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

But to the company's owner, Rob Cooper, developing emotions and not merely visuals in the brand's advertising was as important as the taste.

While his advertising goal was intimidating, Cooper knew it would get him a far greater return on his investment in the long run.

He Believes in Impact

Cooper is an old pro at image selection and tasty alcohol.

He's the guy who built the Chambord Raspberry Liqueur brand -- you know that red stuff that looks like it's packaged in a Roman Catholic censer.

"I firmly believe in impact," he says.

To kick off the St. Germain design process, Cooper presented his advertising agency, Oregon-based Sandstrom Design, with an old photo he found in a Paris flee market.

Sandstrom's resulting package design for St. Germain won the Gold 2007 London International Award.

The Anti-Maxim

A lot of you probably have never had a sip of this stuff, so let's imagine that you're walking through a busy city when a poster of a turn-of-the-century pocket photograph catches your eye.