The Grandmaster

Hennessy’s “Wild Rabbit” campaign has celebrated extraordinary individuals throughout history, usually focusing on physical feats and triumphs of will.

From the streets of Brooklyn to a place in history, Hennessy tells a story of Black excellence as Grandmaster Maurice Ashley makes his journey from wide-eyed rookie to legendary Grandmaster. The campaign depicts Maurice’s ascent from wide-eyed rookie to grandmaster, transporting us back into the world of early 90s Brooklyn as he hones his skills among The Black Bear School of Chess, a group of accomplished local chess players who congregated in New York City’s Prospect Park. 

Working with award winning Director Elliott Power and Droga5 agency, we visualised Maurice’s own influences, to create typographic inserts that combine elements of the hip-hop, martial arts films, and notebooks that shaped his mind as a young man.