Ballantine's
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Brand Films
Ballantine’s has a broad whisky portfolio, including Ballantine’s Finest and 7 Year Old. I was tasked with showcasing the flavour profiles of these flagship products. Using 3D, we translated tasting notes into dynamic visual moments for the website and social channels. The films went on to achieve 1+ million views online.
Approach
The project started with accurate digital twins of the bottles, built from reference material, which then informed two bespoke 3D environments. The bottle was the biggest technical challenge — its rectangular form, curved edges, embossings, and signature glass details required close collaboration with the Ballantine's team to get right.
The environments were designed to reflect each whisky's personality. The Finest called for a relaxed house-party setting; the 7 Year Old a cool, dimly lit industrial bar. Reference-led design, with lighting and materials tuned to atmosphere.
Process
The project required my first deep dive into fluid simulations in Cinema 4D — studying real bar environments to get the materials, lighting, and liquid behaviour right.
The core challenge was making the whisky simulation feel dynamic without obscuring the bottle. The solution was a spiral motion, letting the liquid and flavour notes swirl around a centred bottle, with dynamic camera angles building tension before the final reveal.
Final Delivery
The Finest film landed so well that the client immediately commissioned a second for the 7 Year Old. It has since reached 1.4 million views on Instagram Reels, and the project led to further collaborations including the Pop-Up Festival.