Vodka lover? Whether you like your elixir taken straight, on the rocks or whirled into a savory, piquant bloody mary or invigorating Moscow mule, there’s a reason Smirnoff is getting a ton of buzz this week.
Now, you can chase that shot of Smirnoff vodka with a side of snide, thanks to a new ad campaign from the massive spirits brand. The company’s latest ad features the slogan “Made in America” in large font. Below, slightly smaller texts reads, “But we’d be happy to talk about our ties to Russia under oath,” doling out some serious snark in their new campaign. Indeed, the popular vodka has been created in America for decades but has its heritage planted firmly in Russia. The company’s first distillery was founded by Piotr Arsenyevich Smirnov (hence, the brand’s name) in Moscow in the 1860s. Today, Smirnoff comes to life in a giant distillery in Plainfield, Illinois.
The ad, which has taken off like wildfire with social media posts and has even made it to the first page of Reddit, tips its hat to the investigation into potential Russian interference in the 2016 United States presidential election.
That’s a good burn there, Smirnoff. pic.twitter.com/6fJ4Wfl7Xe
— Kate (@librarian_kate) June 10, 2017
Trump, who recently said he’s willing to testify under oath amidst the allegations that former FBI Director James Comey was fired because of the investigation, has yet to testify. Ad agency 72andSunny confirmed to AdWeek that the campaign came from its New York office. We’re confirming that it’s a pretty darn brilliant way to poke fun at this whole crazy episode. A spokesperson for Diageo (the British company that owns Smirnoff) agrees, saying in a statement that the work is “a wink and a nod to current affairs.” And while it may not be a political resolution, it’s certainly making a wry splash.
