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Alpha Bull Rum pays tribute to Old Monk
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Friday, 14 August, 2026, 14 : 00 PM [IST]
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Our Bureau, Mumbai
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A recent regulatory action that removed six alcohol brands from the market, including India’s 71-year-old rum icon Old Monk, has prompted an unexpected response from one of the category’s younger challengers, Maharashtra-based Alpha Bull Rum.
Rather than positioning itself to capitalise on the disruption, Alpha Bull chose to acknowledge the legacy of its competitor through an open letter addressed to Old Monk. The campaign, conceptualised by London- and Mumbai-based creative agency Roll Dot, turns a moment of market uncertainty into a tribute to one of India’s most enduring spirits brands.
According to the team behind the campaign, the initial brief appeared straightforward: assess the opportunity created by Old Monk’s absence from shelves. But before developing the communication, Roll Dot turned to online conversations surrounding the regulatory action. What it found shifted the focus from competition and shelf space to brand legacy and consumer memory.
Despite the action, discussions around Old Monk remained overwhelmingly rooted in loyalty. Consumers were less focused on the label itself and more concerned about where they could find remaining stock. After more than seven decades, Old Monk had built more than a customer base; it had developed a deeply entrenched cult following.
The reaction highlighted how strongly the brand is embedded in consumer culture. The conversation was not driven primarily by outrage, but by a sense of absence, with consumers searching for bottles rather than explanations.
Alpha Bull’s response was therefore deliberately different. Instead of using the moment to promote its own product, the brand issued an open letter to Old Monk, recognising the legacy of a competitor that has remained culturally relevant across generations.
The campaign also takes a deliberate departure from the short-form communication dominating digital advertising. Rather than relying on quick hooks designed for the scroll, Alpha Bull and Roll Dot opted for a longer-form letter that gives readers space to engage with the sentiment behind the message.
The letter concludes with the line: “Even a Bull bows to a Monk.” The campaign offers an unusual example of competitive advertising built not around claiming another brand’s space, but around recognising the cultural equity it has created.
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