Hennessy said the next chapter of its award-winning Wild Rabbit advertising campaign will be “Maurice and The Black Bear School.” Narrated by hip-hop legend Nas, new creative celebrates Maurice Ashley, who by force of will, relentless determination and mental mastery, earned the title of International Chess Grandmaster. The inspiring story is one of Black intellect and brilliance—showcasing chess as a metaphor for the intellect and strategy to overcome life’s challenges to achieve greatness.
After failing to make his high school chess team, the Brooklyn resident became a protégé of The Black Bear School, a legendary group of street chess players. Ashley emerged a competitive player taking his learnings, on the board and off, to tournaments throughout New York City until his ultimate victory. In 1999, he earned the Grandmaster title, becoming the first-ever accredited Black player in the 1400+ year history of competitive chess and the world’s first Black Chess Grandmaster.
“In line with a ‘Never stop. Never settle.’ ethos, Hennessy is committed to showcasing extraordinary individuals, like Maurice Ashley, who push the limits of potential and define history,” said Giles Woodyer, Senior Vice President, Hennessy US. “The eighth installment of the Wild Rabbit campaign comes at a time of momentous social significance, and the relevance of Ashley’s story – his mental agility, intellectual integrity and ability to harness intellect to move the game forward – provides inspiration to all the thinkers, visionaries and doers who continue to propel a more inclusive future.”
Hennessy’s new campaign, which debuted on September 14th, is comprised of distinct storytelling strains, including:
- Long-form ads that dramatize the story of Maurice Ashley and his development as a champion through camaraderie and lessons of The Black Bear School.
- A series of stand-alone shorts that bring to life the “Lessons of a Grandmaster”, illustrating the mind-expanding lessons Maurice learned through playing chess and drawing a parallel to strategies that can be employed in everyday life.
- An in-depth behind-the-scenes look at the history of Maurice and The Black Bear School, a seminal piece of largely forgotten New York City Black history that will finally be given the attention it deserves.
Since the campaign’s inception in 2011, Hennessy V.S has highlighted the Wild Rabbits of cultural icons including hip hop artist Nas, musician Erykah Badu, while also shining a light on lesser-known historical heroes, like Malcolm Campbell, father/son explorer duo Auguste and Jacques Piccard, and cycling champion Marshall “Major” Taylor.