HISTORICADVERTISEMENT

From May 2022, the Henkell hot air balloon will be in use throughout Germany for 6 years under the "HENKELL" flag.

The aim is to get Henkell into the minds of consumers with an extraordinary advertising medium.

Henkell worked for several years with the well-known swing musician Tom Gaebel to create a modern take on the elegant gentleman. Like no other German musician, he stands for authentic elegance with a modern look, making him the perfect fit for Henkell. As a testimonial for Henkell, he composed the brand song "Here's to Elegance" and performed at two exclusive concerts in the Marble Hall.

The 2020 Henkell advert focuses on modern elegance and communicates that it's the little things in life that make life great. That's why a little nudge with the exquisite Henkell sparkling wine is all it takes.

The new Henkell commercial breaks with classic sparkling wine adverts and is themed "create your own tradition". Henkell makes a tongue-in-cheek appeal to break with antiquated rules of etiquette.

Style, sensuousness and a modern and fresh look characterise the new Henkell appearance.

This is also reflected in the new advertising motif: The new Henkell design is accompanied by the sweeping claim “MAKING LIFE SPARKLE SINCE 1856” and conveys a vivacious and sparkling joie de vivre.

Under the motto “To life” the brand presents itself as a sparkling ambassador of pleasure and joie de vivre through a strong presence in the media and at numerous cultural, sports and social events.

The new advertising motives for Henkell Trocken and Henkell Blanc de Blancs stage the happy moment when the bottle is being opened. They convey the core of the new Henkell brand message “To life” in a sparking-fresh, lively and independent manner.

“It is better to have a dry drink than a dry party” – This new slogan and toast by the Gentleman in Black constituted the beginning of a new ad and poster campaign in 1997. The focus is now on special moments during which you treat yourself to something sophisticated: wonderfully fresh Henkell sparkling wine.

Precious stills with Henkell Trocken characterise the ad series from the beginning to the mid-90s. A clear commitment to quality. Moreover, the Henkell Trocken trademark is back: As a connoisseur and bon viveur with classic elegance the Gentleman in Black again creates a clear emphasis.

The last campaign of the Red Series shows oversized symbols of festive occasions: bouquets of flowers, bottles of sparkling wines, invitation cards or rings. To this end, the big brother of Henkell Trocken makes its big debut in a fitting format: the Henkell Trocken magnum bottle.

The strong red and the expressive colours of the ads were almost as wild as the 1980s. The campaigns were in line with the spirit of the time: The motives of the “Red Series” won numerous creative awards. The new slogan: “The celebrations change but Henkell Trocken stays.”

The increased use of photography makes the world of advertising more lively. An elegant and sporty lifestyle world (which still carries a hint of "flower power") forms the centre of the Henkell advertisement. Visibly more modern: The Gentleman in Black.

The world becomes increasingly international and “Made in Germany” has become synonymous with top quality throughout the world. And Henkell, the global brand “Made in Germany“, launches a career as an ambassador of German sparkling wine – even in Lima, the capital of Peru.

The post-war Henkell Trocken advertisement was launched with this Christmas motif and the Gentleman in Black. The problem during this era: At the beginning of the 1950s, a high sparkling wine tax was charged – the so-called war surcharge which turned sparkling wine into luxury product for many.

Henry Maier was his creator: The “Gentleman in Black” became the distinctive brand symbol for Henkell Trocken from the 1930s. From that time on, he accompanied the big German brand of sparkling wine for several decades – only his outfit was modified and updated from time to time.

Piccolo – the busy little waiter was one of the dominant advertising characters for Henkell Trocken in the 1930s and 1940s. The popular little figure (designed by Fred Overbeck) lent its name to the 0.2 l bottle, the Henkell Trocken Piccolo

Thomas Theodor Heine, a well-known caricaturist and illustrator of his time, designed a whole series of graphics for Henkell Trocken. This invitation to a tour of the winery of the sparkling wine producer Henkell is the last motif from this series.

The “connoisseur”, an advertising character that could also be called the predecessor of the Gentleman in Black, presents Henkell Trocken with noble reserve. The illustration was drawn by Knut Hansen who received numerous awards as a poster artist.

One of the early advertising motives for Henkell Trocken was also a political motif at the same time: The sparkling wine canon on a ship’s deck aimed at the sparkling wine tax which Kaiser Wilhelm II levied in order to expand his fleet.