Johnnie Walker
A memorable allusion
Background
Diageo, one of Asia’s largest suppliers of alcohol, manages more than forty brands in Thailand, including Johnnie Walker.
Challenge
To retain market leadership in the whisky category and boost dwindling sales due to new and increasing competitors and a bigger variety of types of alcohol to choose from, Diageo needed to create a clever and effective marketing campaign for its Johnnie Walker Black and Red labels.
Thailand is a ‘dark market’ in terms of alcohol marketing, which means that alcohol brands can’t be directly promoted or advertised, and neither can people be seen drinking it. Previous advertising allusions had been deemed ineffective and not relevant enough to the brand for consumers to make the connection and for the mnemonic to make an impact. We had to come up with a solution to effectively advertise a product which wasn’t allowed to be advertised, making sure it strengthened the brand’s equity.
Solution
We looked for what was unique and immediately recognisable within the Johnnie Walker brand. The distinctive label that was slanted at 25 degrees, trimmed with gold to provide that feel of exclusivity and luxury, proved to be our inspiration. From here, we created an effective mnemonic that was then used across the board in all below-the-line communications for the brand, reinforcing awareness and brand association across Thailand.
