DEWAR’S 3-BEE PRINTING PROJECT | SID LEE NY | THE EBELING GROUP

To celebrate the debut of Dewar’s® Highlander Honey, the whiskey producer is showcasing the craft of one of its most important partners in making the new infused blend, the Highlander honey bees, with the 3-B Printing Project.  The 3-B Printing Project lets Dewar’s drinkers in on the process that goes into crafting each bottle of Dewar’s Highlander Honey, a distinct fusion of original Dewar’s White Label blended scotch whiskey with hand-selected Scottish honey and other natural flavors.

A twist on the concept of 3-D printing, the 3-B Printing Project is a unique event that fuses digital printing with nature by employing the extraordinary activity of bees to build sculptural works of art.  Integrating scientific expertise with digital design, the 3-B Printing Project provides 80,000 honey bees with a starter blueprint that mimics their natural environment.

The inverted beehive is molded in such a way that it guides the bees to craft their honeycomb hive around the framework provided. As the industrious workers cover their home with beautiful, golden honeycomb, they are creating striking, multi-dimensional masterpieces in custom-shaped molds inspired by the new blend of Dewar’s Highlander Honey. Already, the bees have “printed” a complete 3D wax object in the shape of the whisky bottle, as well as the bust of the Dewar’s Drinking Man, the mascot of true Drinking Men everywhere.   

The 3-B Printing Project marketing campaign was conceived by Sid Lee NY and produced by The Ebeling Group, a company well-known for spearheading successful creative technological innovations such as The Eyewriter Project.  

The campaign launches with a :60 web trailer, which introduces the product with artful lighting and a suitably honey-hued introduction to the process.  The artist/engineer, James, can be seen rendering a sketch of the structure, and the suited-up master beekeeper Robin facilitates the process in a flower-filled factory, before the bees flood the enclosure to begin their work.

The Ebeling Group tackled the obvious production challenges head-first for the mad bee-science experiment that was captured for an accompanying documentary released with the launch of the campaign. "We've developed a reputation for taking on never-been-done-before projects.  And that's why this particular project was such a challenge, but so much fun," says Mick Ebeling.  This business-as-unusual approach is in keeping with the exciting, groundbreaking content The Ebeling Group has consistently produced.  

The set’s non-standard conditions meant the director, DP and as many as 15 of the crew had to wear full beekeeper suits to protect themselves from being stung by the zealous sculptors.  The result is a beautiful glimpse into the process that may cause viewers to change their minds about the feared insect, as beekeeper Robin imparts the wisdom, “The venom of the bee means that you are going to get the sweetness of the honey.”

Viewers can witness the bees at work via the “Live in the Hive” webstream on Dewar’s Highlander Honey Facebook page.

View Live In The Hive app here: https://www.facebook.com/dewars?v=app_554690991211247 

Advertising Agency:  Sid Lee NY

Executive Producer/Partner: Claudia Roy

Lead Producer: Rob Marmor

Creative Director: Daniel Chandler

Art Director: Blaise Cepis

Copywriter: Laura Perlongo

Account Supervisor: Karim Tubbeh

Production Company:  The Ebeling Group

Executive Producer:  Mick Ebeling

Producers:  Amber Ventris and Martha Smith

Creative Director:  Jared Eberhardt

DP:  Larkin Seiple

BTS DP:  Aaron Farley

Editor:  Yuhei Ogawa

Editor:  Michael Porter