Bacardi is expanding a mobile-forward campaign for spiced rum label Bacardi Oakheart, reaching millennial males with digital takeovers on sports-focused Web sites at times coinciding with big games. 

The brand hopes to demonstrate its relevance to the bonding that happens around big sporting events and the tailgating that happens on these days by interrupting virtual tailgating experiences. The campaign, which originally focused on just four markets, is now expanding nationally in time for the holidays and earlier than previously planned following positive feedback. 

?Our entire media plan is cross device, but mobile forward,? said Fabio Di Giammarco, global vice president at Bacardi Rums.

?Mobile ads are appearing in relevant sports environments to reach the core demo, such as Bleacher Report, Yahoo Sports, ESPN and CBS Sports,? he said. 

 ?The message/call to action is ?The Brotherhood calls for your best.??

The campaign positions Bacardi Oakheart as a ?better tasting rum,? and seeks to drive awareness and purchase intent among current Captain Morgan drinkers. 

The markets where the campaign initially rolled out were California, Florida, Indiana and Texas. Bacardi reports the campaign has reached 101.7 million legal drinking age consumers so far in these markets. ?Bacardi is now rolling out the campaign nationally, targeting fans of major league football as well as college football, encouraging them to join the Oakheart ?brotherhood.?

The campaign includes 300X250 smartphone display ads on sports Web sites such as CBS Sports. 

Also in the mix are expandable mobile rich media banner ads. Expanding the ad shows users nearby locations where they can try Bacardi Oakheart. 

The campaign includes targeting ads to college football fans in cities such as Austin, TX, with mobile display ads on sites such as the Bleacher Report. 

A social component includes ads on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. 

A major theme of the campaign is the idea of brotherhood. In advance of Thanksgiving, Bacardi urged social media users to ?jump the captain?s ship? ? referencing the Captain Morgan brand - pledge the Oakheart ?Brotherhood? by uploading a photo of their Thanksgiving Eve celebrations with the hashtag #AllInAllHeart. 

Bacardi reports that Oakheart recently won as the better tasting spiced rum over Captain Morgan Original in a national taste test administered by Radius Global Market Research. 

Bacardi has been active on mobile of late. 

Last month, Bacardi leveraged Facebook?s new immersive canvas advertising unit, which opens up a full-screen smartphone experience for users who click on an ad (see story). 

Also, Bacardi Limited?s Dewar?s Scotch brand is bolstering its mobile marketing efforts with a 360-degree virtual reality experience on a mobile-optimized microsite, enabling fans to take a guided tour through the Scottish highlands and immersing them in how the whiskey is made (see story). 

?The goal of the campaign is to build awareness and create desire to drive consumption preference for Oakheart,? Mr. Di Giammarco said. ?Also, to recruit young male drinkers by establishing the brand as the better taste vs. Captain.?