'Must Be a Jameson' Pours On the Absurd Humor

The hero of Jameson’s latest :60 sure knows how to make an entrance.

He drives his motorboat out of the sea and across a beach. Dude ultimately crashes a swank party by maneuvering the vessel into a swimming pool.

Everyone’s amused. Ha ha! They’re in an ad!

It’s part of a broader campaign, “Must Be a Jameson,” developed by the Irish whiskey brand with Ogilvy. Director Bryan Buckley, who just scored with Capital One’s John Travolta holiday spot, delivers the funny.

This tongue-in-cheeky vibe paints its protagonist as something of a James Bond-vivant (sans sex and killing, but heavy on the slapstick). 

Actually, forget 007. This kind of humor we’d expect from Mel Brooks or a ’60s sitcom. Think Gilligan’s Island, but with a truly woeful Skipper. (Did he nip some Jameson’s before casting off?)

Visually vibrant but not ridiculously OTT, it succeeds without breaking new ground.

“Each spot we’ve painstakingly created is an uplifting and engaging piece of narrative, essentially mini-films designed to make the world stop and take notice of Jameson in the best sort of way,” Buckley says.

The push launches this week in the U.S. across TV, audio, social OOH and streaming channels, with a global rollout to follow.