Johnnie Walker is a globally dominant scotch whiskey brand owned by Diageo. In 2013, Johnnie Walker had case sales of 19.7 million, significantly higher than its top competitors. To maintain and grow its brand equity, Johnnie Walker utilizes integrated marketing campaigns across various channels to build brand awareness and positive associations. Recommendations to further strengthen the brand include secondary brand partnerships through co-branding, celebrity endorsements, and sponsoring music festivals to appeal to younger consumers.

1. Strategic Brand MAnagement
Rob Noble
000731069-2
Micheal Fabiyi
000727487-4
Sarah Kirkby
000720067-6
Zoe Baskett
000728477-2
Tim Bedford-Bain
00076832-2 1

2. Introduction
- The Current Market, Trends and News
- Johnnie Walker’s Brand
- Brand Position
- Johnnie Walkers Competitors
- Brand Equity
- Brand Awareness
- Brand Association
- Recommendations to Build and Manage Johnnie
Walker’s Brand Equity
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3. The Market
- In 2013 Johnnie Walker had case sales of 19.7m
- Ballantine's scotch whiskey with 5.8m of case sales
- Grant Scotch Whiskey – 4.5m
- The Famous Grouse – 3.2m
- Jack Daniels – 10.7m
- Jim Beam- 6.2m
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4. Market Trends
- The introduction of China’s “Whiskey Bubble” (Stegger,2012)
- Only Scottish Scotch in China
- The real Tennessee Whiskey-
“whiskey must be made from fermented mash of at least 51 percent
corn, aged in new oak barrels, charcoal mellowed and stored in
Tennessee”
- Alcohol duty escalator-
- Rise in taxation on whiskey
- 81% of the price to be tax
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5. The Brand
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Product Attributes
- Malt Whiskey
- Deep complex flavour
- Power and Refinement
- Age and time
Characteristics of The Brand
- Heritage, passion and luxury
- Scottish Whiskey
- International
- Diageo
Pricing
-The range is $25 - $225 (750ml)
- A range of whiskeys, the best selling Red Label
- Most expensive being Blue Label
Distribution
- By 1920 it was the first global brand across 120 countries
- Red Label can now be found in over 200 countries
- Worlds best selling whiskey
- Pushing into emerging markets such as Latin America and Asia
(Diageo, 2013)

6. The Trademark
Keep
Walking
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7. Brand Positioning
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Target Market
- Urban men aged 25-35
- Already Whiskey Drinkers as well as
introducing new consumers to Whiskey
- Consumers who are not driven solely by
wealth, but through wealth of experience
and enjoyment of life.
(Joseph, 2012)
Marketing
- TV, Outdoor, Press and Digital
- ‘Keep Walking Campaign’
- 2009 Robert Carlyle ‘The man who
walked around the world’
- Heritage and Global nature of the brand
- This was updated by BBH in 2013
(Lynch, 2013)

8. Personal Progress
- Sony’s Fredrick Bond directed the TV Ad ‘From the
Future’ bringing a change of tone for the brand
- This is BBH’s revitalised integrated global
campaign for a new generation drinker in a
changing world
- Key message is one of ‘personal progress’
- Across TV, Outdoor, Press and Digital
- Outdoor campaign celebrates the progress of
iconic people and places showing where they have
come from
- Social content #NextStep, the platform hub is
tumbler, supports by the brands Facebook and
Twitter
- Launched first across Latin America before rolling
out into Eastern Europe and Asia Pacific
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(Lynch, 2013)

9. Competitive Brands
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-----
Marketing
• T.V, Outdoor and digital
• A long heritage with a huge bourbon
history
• Celebrity endorsements (Mila Kunis,
Leonardo Di Caprio)
• ‘The dilemma’ advertisements
-----
Marketing
- TV, Outdoor, Press and Digital
- Has a long heritage and is a
worldwide brand.
- ‘As American As’ Campaign
- Celebrity ambassadors
Jack Daniels
- ‘Tennessee Whiskey
- Founded 1875
- Brown-Forman corporation
- Prices varies from £18+
- Family’ of Whiskey's:- (Gentleman
Jack, Tennessee Honey, Jack Daniels
old no. 7 and Single Barrel)
Jim Beam
• Bourbon Whisky
• Beam incorporation
• Introduced in 1795
• Different varieties of whiskey (White
label, Green label, Black label Devil’s
cut and Seven year)
• Prices vary from £20+

10. Keller’s Brand Equity
Model
The Value of johnnie Walker
Consumers form loyalty and a variety of choice
hedges brand switching
Connecting with the consumer’s life style
Successful
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Traditional
Iconic
Luxury
High quality Whiskey
Has something for
everyone
Masculine
Expensive
Quality
Scottish
Well crafted
Resonance
Judgments Feelings
Performance
Salience
Imagery
Create awareness through Campaigns, Taste- Testing Events,
Advertising, Endorsements, Social Networking

11. Brand Awareness
Who are they trying to make aware of Johnnie
Walker?
• Older males or, men who want to be perceived as classy and confident,
those looking for a drink to aid relaxation creating identity of achievement
and financial security, not a drink aimed to people who want a cheap
drink.
• Known globally.
How have the marketers make their target
market aware of the brand?
Advertising on television around programs specifically aimed to men (e.g.
Sopranos, Mad Men, Golf tournaments and Formula One, usually played in
the evening).
Make the target audience aware of two key selling points:
1. There are a variety of different labels from Johnnie Walker (Blue, Black,
Gold ect) so there is something to every mans taste.
2. They pride themselves on gift giving.
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12. Billboard
advertisement for
Blue Label stating
‘For a man who
deserves more
than a gift’
Print advertisement focusing flavour as the selling point
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Print advertisement for the
Red Label, also focusing on
flavour

13. 13
Social Media
Twitter
@JohnnieWalkerUS- 6,151 followers
• Using trending ‘hashtags’ such as
#tbt (throw back Thursday) to
emphasise heritage and the brand
being traditional.
• Shows that the brand is confident
by stating it needs no introduction.
Instagram
@JohnnieWalker- 33kfollowers
• Uses the variety of labels to
advantage.
• If target audience are business
men, then this is directly targeted at
them, playing on the fact Monday is
the beginning of their week.
Facebook
Johnnie Walker- 8,751,512 likes
• More of their potential target market
are present on Facebook.
• Gives suggestions on mixing drinks
and how brand has spread globally

14. Brand Association
- Not all venues stock Johnnie Walker, and is not always visible to
the consumer
- Sponsor venues to ensure exclusive service- The Black Circuit VIP
Race Party, invited A-list guests and Johnnie Walker fans to
experience the glamorous lifestyle of the world motor sport at the
venue of the Malaysia Agro Exposition Park, Serdang.
Associations of the event included:
- Jenson Button
- Mercedes McLaren
- Formula 1
- Vodafone
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15. ‘The man who walked
around the world’
- 6 minute feature length advert/story, describing the Johnnie Walker
journey.
- Featuring Scottish born Robert Carlyle, known for his acting.
- Tells a story which connects with the audience, associating the brand with
all that the video has mentioned.
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16. Identity Prism
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Johnnie
Walker
Personality
Luxury
Confident
Historic
Bold
Culture
‘The Perfect Gift’
International
Passionate
Scottish based
Self Image
Iconic
Driven by Heritage and Prestige
Relationship
Trust in Quality
Exclusivity
Loyalty to brand
Flavour for everyone
Reflection
Masculine
Financial Security
Class
Sophistication
Physique
Diego brand- High quality and well rounded
‘The man who walked around the world’ Campaign

17. Consumer Perception
- 6 different labels cater for every need
- Globally dominated the world of whiskey
- Seen as a luxury brand, something that is special or to be savoured
- Expensive price tag pushes consumer opinions to positive ones
- Seen and advertised as the perfect gift, which implies high standards
- Traditional, cared for product, been in the Walker family for 200 years
through generations
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18. Brand Resonance
• To enhance brand loyalty and resonance, the ‘Pick Your Flavour’
Campaign was created.
• Using the tag line ‘Where flavour is King’
• The aim was to extend customer lifetime value and enhance perception to
include less change vulnerable equity.
• 6 different flavours representing 6 different meanings, something for
everyone, emphasises heritage, quality, taste and texture.
• Reduces risk of consumers switching brands as they have more choice.
• Brand comes with the story of Johnnie Walker, shows that it is a family
orientated and originated brand, which connects with the audience, as
consumers value traditional products.
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19. Recommendations
Secondary Brand Associations
- “Secondary brand associations is a type of marketing strategy,
where, businesses transfer entities of the brand or different aspects
to help increase brand equity” (iffi Saheb).
Ideas to build brand equity:
- Co-Branding
- Celebrity Endorsement
- Sponsorship
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20. Co-Branding
- Johnnie Walker is a world known brand consumed by many across the
globe.
-
- One way they can empower the brand furthermore is by teaming up
with another world famous British brand, Rolex.
- Research has shown that people relate British products with quality,
and as Rolex is seen as a luxury brand, consumers will show more
interest to the whisky.
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21. Celebrity
Endorsements
Celebrity Endorsements
- Johnnie Walker can get Victoria Beckham to endorse in their
product.
- Whisky is generally purchased & consumed by men,
therefore, this will help break the cliché and increase the
brands reputation as more women will start to show interest.
Sponsorship
- Large Music festivals such as Glastonbury or Reading, which
will help entice young adults
- This is a gap in the whisky market as not many people aged
between 18-25 consume whisky compared to other alcoholic
beverages.
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22. Integrated Marketing
- The brand can hold a monthly competition online & ask users to create
the best cocktail.
- Users will then share it on different social network sites using
#JonnieWalker and the name of their cocktail, where the winners
cocktail will get published in a alcoholic magazine.
- win-win situation for everyone, as the brand will be connecting with
their consumers, while their consumers will be sharing their brand
online with the hashtag.
- Potential to also entice more women.
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23. References
Diageo. (2014) Our Brands, [WWW] Available from; http://www.diageo.com/en-row/OurBrands/Pages/default.aspx [Date Accessed
13/03/2014]
Joseph, S. (2012) ‘Diageo bids to make Johnnie Walker more accessible’, Marketing Week, News
Lynch, N. (2013) ‘Johnnie Walker launches new global “Keep Walking’ integrated campaign spearheaded by ‘From the Future’ TV
spot via BBH London’, Campaign Brief
Academic Models
Keller’s Brand Equity Model
http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/keller-brand-equity-model.htm
Kapferer’s Brand Identity Prism
Video links
http://youtu.be/MnSIp76CvUI?t=3m49s
Websites
http://www.johnniewalker.com/ms-my/events/bclpost-mar12/
Date Accessed: 10/03/14
http://www.slideshare.net/ZaraBoshyk/johnnie-walker-starte#btnNext
Date Accessed 10/03/14
Corporate Website
http://www.johnniewalker.com/en-gb/home/
(iffi Saheb, 2013) -http://www.slideshare.net/IffiSaheb/secondary-brandassociations-short23
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/womens-life/10372412/Why-is-whisky-still-a-mans-drink.html
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