The Balvenie Distillery

Anthony Bourdain Balvenie Scotch Ad Sparks Emmy Night Outrage on Twitter | Eater

"Shortly after the Emmys’ in memoriam segment, a scotch maker aired a commercial that repurposed footage of Anthony Bourdain discussing when (and when not) to follow your passion — including his line that it’s “not always a great idea to follow your passion if you’re passionate about something you’ll never be good at,” and his exhortation to pursue endeavors that can “shock and astound and terrify and bewitch.” The spot ends with a title card reading “And so you did. We’re proud to have shared your journey,” but its timing prompted heavy backlash on social media as a tone‑deaf attempt to capitalize on national mourning. The ad was reportedly cobbled together from earlier “Raw Craft” videos Bourdain helped create while serving as the brand’s spokesperson, content that originally featured minimal brand call‑outs." - Greg Morabito