Johnnie Walker® Launches Biggest Campaign in Brand's History

Ambitious global investment to drive next decade of growth for the brand

LONDON, Sept. 16, 2015 /CNW/ - Today Johnnie Walker^®, the number one Scotch whisky in the world^[1], launches its largest ever global marketing campaign. The campaign will activate simultaneously in more than 50 countries and will reach nearly 270 million consumers around the world within the first weeks of launch.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150915/266956 )

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150915/266957 )

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150915/266958 )

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9R9YtaoYAE

'Joy Will Take You Further' is an evolution of the brand's famous 'Keep Walking' campaign and represents a new perspective on personal progress, which has defined the brand's philosophy for more than 15 years and helped Johnnie Walker become the most valuable spirits brand in the world^[2]. Based on new insights into how success is viewed by consumers today, it brings to life the concept that joy can be a catalyst to the progress they seek, and aims 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 campaign features stars from the worlds of sport and entertainment such as Formula One World Champion and McLaren Honda driver Jenson Button, Oscar-nominated actor Jude Law, Chinese actor Zhao Wei, US rock band OK Go and Mexican supermodel Montserrat Oliver alongside a cast of extraordinary achievers who share the brand's view of how happiness in life is a fuel for success.

Syl Saller, Chief Marketing Officer, Diageo, owners of Johnnie Walker, said: "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 Johnnie Walker forward to the next decade of growth. It is rooted in deep consumer insight and tells true stories of people who have truly walked with joy. At Diageo, we believe in building brands with purpose - meaning that goes beyond product benefits - and this is a great example of an incredibly strong idea that is brought to life with outstanding creative."

Guy Escolme, Johnnie Walker Global Brand Director, added that the new campaign - drawing on decades of research - challenged the conventional wisdom that success guarantees you happiness and instead celebrates the fact that happiness actually helps people achieve success.

He said: "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: 'Joy Will Take You Further'."

Developed in partnership with the brand's global creative agency, Anomaly, 'Joy Will Take You Further' brings to life the art of blending and the blenders who create the world's most iconic Scotch whisky through a significant investment in mentoring and customer experiences, in addition to a new television commercial, print and digital advertising, point of sale materials and engaging digital content.

Amanda Feve, Chief Strategy Officer of Anomaly, said: "Our research unlocked a new insight into progress, which we believe will create cultural impact the world over."

The new 'Joy Will Take You Further' commercial from Johnnie Walker can be viewed here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9R9YtaoYAE.

Notes to the Editor:

About Diageo

Diageo is a global leader in beverage alcohol with an outstanding collection of brands across spirits, beer and wine categories. These brands include Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, J&B, Buchanan's and Windsor whiskies, Smirnoff, Cîroc and Ketel One vodkas, Captain Morgan, Baileys, Don Julio, Tanqueray and Guinness.

Diageo is a global company, and our products are sold in more than 180 countries around the world. The company is listed on both the London Stock Exchange (DGE) and the New York Stock Exchange (DEO). For more information about Diageo, our people, our brands, and performance, visit us at http://www.diageo.com. Visit Diageo's global responsible drinking resource, http://www.DRINKiQ.com, for information, initiatives, and ways to share best practice.

Celebrating life, every day, everywhere.

The JOHNNIE WALKER, KEEP WALKING and 'JOY WILL TAKE YOU FURTHER' words, the Striding Figure device and associated logos are trademarks © John Walker & Sons 2015.

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1. International Wine and Spirit Record (IWSR) Value and volume data 2014
2. Impact Databank 2015 - World's Top 100 Spirits Brands by Value

SOURCE Johnnie Walker