Yesterday, Johnnie Walker – the top liquor brand in global duty free and travel retail by volume (source: IWSR) – announced its biggest ever global marketing campaign in order to drive the Scotch whisky giant’s next decade of growth.

Brand owner Diageo, did not disclose the global investment it is making, but claims the Joy Will Take You Further campaign will launch simultaneously in more than 50 countries and reach nearly 270m consumers worldwide within weeks.

The campaign is an evolution of the brand’s well-known ‘Keep Walking’ campaign and takes on the theme of personal progress. It features multiple stars: F1 champion Jenson Button, actors Jude Law and Zhao Wei, US band OK Go and supermodel Montserrat Oliver.

Based on social insights into how success is viewed today, Joy Will Take You Further suggests that joy can be a catalyst to development; that finding joy in the journey is part of the recipe for success. The campaign challenges the conventional wisdom that success guarantees happiness and instead celebrates the fact that happiness helps people achieve success.

ACTIVATIONS OF JOY

In travel retail the campaign will be brought to life through airport activations according to Diageo Global Travel & Middle East. This will include offering travellers exclusive insights into blending by lifting the lid on this art and craft.

Peter Fairbrother, Global Marketing Director for Diageo GTME, says: “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 has 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.”

TRANSFORMATIONAL GROWTH… AGAIN?

Diageo is excited about the growth prospects this project offers. Syl Saller, Chief Marketing Officer, Diageo, says: “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. It is rooted in deep consumer insight and tells true stories of people who have truly walked with joy. This is a great example of an incredibly strong idea that is brought to life with outstanding creative.”

Developed in partnership with the brand’s global creative agency, Anomaly, Joy Will Take You Further also has a big focus on blending and the blenders who create Johnnie Walker. In addition to a skilfully-paced television commercial , print and digital advertising, point of sale materials and digital content will be available.

Amanda Feve, Chief Strategy Officer of Anomaly, says: “Our research unlocked a new insight into progress, which we believe will accelerate the Johnnie Walker brand’s momentum in culture the world over.”

Diageo products, which include Baileys, Guinness, Smirnoff, Cîroc and Ketel One vodkas, Tanqueray gin and Captain Morgan rum, are sold in more than 180 countries.