Contrary Cow Chocolate Whiskey is the opposite of what people expect from whiskey (it's sweet and smooth, not smoky and serious). They needed a launch campaign that would capture this "contrary" spirit, create memorable brand characters, and do it in a way that felt authentic to the brand.
We knew audiences can spot a low-effort AI stunt from a mile away. The key insight was that for the characters to be believable and ownable, they had to be born from the brand's DNA. The strategy wasn't to "use AI," but to translate the brand's attitude, origin story, and values into character traits first. We had to lead with brand strategy, writing, and design, before any tech was involved. to ensure the AI would serve the story, not overshadow it.
We created "Contrary to Popular Belief," a campaign introducing two original characters: a visionary cowboy and his surprisingly chill cow.
Instead of just using one AI tool, we engineered a custom, multi-model pipeline for everything from the characters' look and feel to their micro-expressions, voices, and movements. We then treated the process like a film production. Our creative directors, animators, and strategists directed the AI-generated material, shaping the shots, lighting, and editing to create something cinematic and full of personality. This human-led craft is what made the characters feel authentic and uniquely "Contrary Cow."
