Johnnie Walker Red Label Activation idea
Even though Johnnie Walker is an iconic brand with such a rich heritage, younger consumers between 18-34y.o. believe that scotch whisky is too traditional and expensive for their casual occasions and gatherings with friends, opting for rum or local spirits.
Creative Challenge
Come up with a creative and innovative activation idea that brings the Johnnie Walker Red Label experience closer to younger consumers!
The aim of your activation idea must be about bringing more consumers to the Johnnie Walker Red Label, specifically in Central America & Caribbean region.
A great idea can come in several forms, but all need to be activations that bring the brand experience closer to the younger consumers. The type of activations can be broad:
- In-store campaigns + Online campaigns + Bars
- Restaurants
- Events
The key markets of the region are:
Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Panama. These are countries with very warm and friendly culture, where people love to spend time on the beach, where close relationship with family and friends are very important.
Moodboard
Today the key barriers for younger consumers to consider Johnnie Walker Red Label whisky are:
1. The strong flavor. Younger people perceive it as too strong, something that older men enjoy and often think that it can only be served “neat” – unmixed, without being chilled and without any water, ice, or other mixer. However, there are many ways to serve whisky in cocktails. Could you think of how can bold flavor become cool to the target audience?
2. Another barrier is that whisky is not the first choice when it comes to casual occasions with friends, like early daylight events and afterwork parties. While the traditional party time in a club is still relevant for the millennial consumers, it moves more and more to
the third places or even parties at home.
What could Johnnie Walker do to become relevant during these occasions?
See below some of the Trends that are relevant to these markets:
• Growing local pride - consumers find the confidence to celebrate their roots – making local cool and more premium.
• Constant quest for new experiences - trend towards experiences that stimulate the senses, build connections and provide content for social media sharing.
• Balance & wellbeing - the increased focus on health and wellbeing along with greater moderation.
• Premiumization - growing interest in more premium products and experiences driven by mass luxury consumers wanting to reward themselves or to demonstrate status.
• Evolving & Fluid occasions - a shift from high tempo occasions (party) to more mid and low tempo occasions (casual get together, relax & unwind moments.)
Consumption occasions are no longer discrete but incorporate different tempos/activities during the occasion, and food becomes a key driver also.
• Occasions with food - Food is becoming more present across the occasions as consumers seek interesting flavor combinations that add to the sensory & social experience.
the poster
The idea
The idea has to do with sharing on social media. Specifically, the goal is for young people to share a photo of themselves on instagram that shows what they love about themselves, what makes them special and unique, some of their characteristics, their interest, some of their hobbies or talents, what gives them the power to keep trying to become the best version of themselves. They should use the #johnnieWalker and emojis that express them, such as their region, flag, beach, drink, laugh, surfing.
In the second phase, in order to try delicious cocktails with Johnnie Walker Red, to get to know and overcome the opinion they had until today about the intense taste of neat whiskey_in selected bars and beach bars, there will be a menu for Johnnie Walker cocktails from which following the instructions you will be able to choose the cocktail you want to try by buying it ONLY with the appropriate emojis!
The visual has tropical elements , strangely connected to each other, it is a mix of the characteristic beauties of the flora and fauna of these countries, the special personality, diffusion and freedom of expression that the people of these countries have. It is the sea, the open ocean, the free spirit, the smells of tropical fruits, coffee, cocoa, music everywhere, every single story. Everything that in other parts of the world we consider "weird", strange, peculiar, irreconcilable, has a special charm and power that magnetizes. It's just different, you want to know it, learn it and learn from it. It is curiosity that makes you keep going. Keep Walking.
This idea can work in digital form but also with printed material, ie some banners or posters that can accompany events in bars and in central squares or beaches,
but due to measures to limit the gathering of people, it would be best to run only with Online campaigns. It can start from Johnnie’s Brand social pages to ads or guest post
on bars/restaurants/cimena webpages/blogs.
And of course it’s up to the young people to display it and increase the Brand awareness, as they are extremely active on social media.
K E E P W A L K I N G
Central America & Caribbean region
