The brand ‘keeps walking’ with biggest ever global investment to drive the next decade of growth for the marque
Scotch whisky heavyweight, Johnnie Walker, has unveiled its brand new global marketing campaign themed, ‘Joy Will Take You Further’. By far its largest, it is scheduled to run simultaneously in more than 50 countries with the advertising push aimed at reaching nearly 270 million consumers worldwide within the first few weeks of launching.
According to the brand, the fully-integrated effort is an evolution of its famous ‘Keep Walking’ campaign and represents a fresh perspective on personal progress, a theme which has defined the brand’s philosophy for more than 15 years and helped Johnnie Walker become one of the most valuable spirits brand globally.
“The launch of Keep Walking marked a fundamental shift in the way scotch was marketed and kick-started a decade of transformational growth for both Johnnie Walker and the category as a whole. I am hugely excited about the potential of this new campaign to drive the brand forward to the next decade of growth,” said Syl Saller, Chief Marketing Officer of Diageo, the owners of Johnnie Walker.
Based on new insights into how success is viewed by consumers today, the purposeful exercise is said to bring to life the concept that joy can be a catalyst to the progress they seek whilst aspiring to generate a positive culture shift by promoting and encouraging the idea that finding joy in the journey is part of the recipe for success.
The push features sports and entertainment celebrities such as Formula One world champion and McLaren Honda driver Jenson Button, Oscar-nominated Jude Law, Chinese actor Zhao Wei, US rock band OK Go, and Mexican supermodel Montserrat Oliver as well as a cast of high-achievers who share the brand’s view of how happiness in life is the fuel for victory.
“Johnnie Walker has always stood for progress. It’s been the story of our whisky since our founder John Walker started it all nearly 200 years ago. What two centuries of experience have taught us is that progress doesn’t have to be an endless uphill journey. We can enjoy the steps we take and the more happiness we find in them, the more likely we are to achieve our goal. Evidence is confirming a conviction that sits at the heart of our brand,” said Guy Escolme, Diageo’s Global Brand Director.
In addition to the roll-out of a brand new television commercial, print and digital advertising, point of sale materials, and engaging digital content, developed in partnership with the brand’s global creative agency, Anomaly, the campaign encapsulates the art of blending and the blenders who create the iconic Scotch whisky through a significant investment in mentoring and customer experiences.
Johnnie Walker was a winner at the 2015-2016 World Branding Awards under the Alcoholic Spirits – Whisky (Global) category.
