Russian Standard has signed up a “performance philosopher” made famous online to star in its new global ad campaign.

Jason Silva, who founded the “Shots of Awe” Youtube channel, will front Russian Standard's 30- and 60-second TV and cinema spots, launching worldwide on 18 November. A three-minute online version launched on Youtube today, which can be viewed above.

At a event in London last night (11 November) to unveil the ads, Venezuelan-American Silva, who describes himself as a “film maker and futurist”, told just-drinks he is an unusual choice to lead a spirits marketing campaign.

“I'm not a rapper,” he said. “Though perhaps you can call me a philosophical rapper.”

He said his collaboration with Russian Standard marked the future of advertising tie-ups between companies and artists.

“I believe that the best brand alliances, and I believe that the future of content, is branded content,” he said. “Because distribution has been completely democratised on the web, then sponsors, or brands, and artists can work together. You don't need the channel or the network as the intermediary.”

Silva has hosted the National Geographic Channel's Brain Game since 2011.

Yesterday, Russian Standard said it has “stabilised” recent acquisition Central European Distribution Corporation and will not cut jobs at the Zubrówka vodka maker.

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