Johnnie Walker - Two Centuries and Still Walking

“Johnnie Walker. Keep Walking”.

Four simple words that turned into one of the most iconic global advertising campaigns to come out of the ‘90s. First aired in 1999 starring Harvey Keitel, the ‘Keep Walking’ campaign dramatically shifted the brand’s positioning and saw it transform into the global leader it is today. It was this very campaign that also birthed the change in Jonnie Walker’s Striding Man icon to that of a man walking forward, resulting in a brand icon that is just as globally recognizable and famous as the campaign slogan.

Some 23 years later and the same campaign and slogan that advocated perseverance in adversity and used as a metaphor for a journey of progress, is back. And with immaculate timing too, right when the world is slowly recovering from a difficult two years and in serious need for a call to remain resilient.   

The ad’s main feature is its ‘Anthem’- a beautifully seamless mash-up consisting of equally iconic songs and tunes, all of which centres around walking. The Anthem’s impressive mixing and earworm potential aside, the campaign launch itself comes just mere weeks after Johnnie Walker Princes Street, their latest immersive experience attraction located in the brand’s own backyard in the heart of Edinburgh, Scotland.

Two centuries later and Johnnie Walker is still walking, staying relevant and showing the world why they are the world’s number one Scotch Whisky brand, vouched for by the IWSR. That said, it takes more than just amazing advertising prowess to garner success. Echoing the returning hype around the brand, we dive deeper in finding out how this whisky established itself as a household name and what contributes to its success.

Humble Origins: A Backstory to The Classic Johnnie Walker

After an unfortunate passing of his father in 1819, John Walker inherited and sold the family’s farm to set up a grocery store in the local town of Kilmarnock in East Ayrshire. With a knack for both business and whisky, John noticed that grocers only stocked a line of single malts that lacked consistency. With this observation, he aspired to create a blend of consistent flavor and quality through mixing single malts and grains with precise composition, which birthed a perfect blended scotch whisky.

John’s son, Alexander inherited the family business when he passed away in 1857. With the Industrial Revolution that brought changes to production and the introduction of the railway in Kilmarnock, goods were now able to reach ports where they could be routed to different parts of the globe. A golden opportunity presented itself and Alexander seized it. In 1867, Alexander introduced Johnnie Walker’s first commercial blend and named it ‘Old Highland Whisky’. He made an ingenious move to engage ships’ captains to carry his whiskey to wherever they could sail. With that, his unique blend was made available around the globe. Shortly after, Alexander started utilizing the famous square bottle, as you know it today, to reduce breakages. This also ensured that more shipments would arrive intact upon its destination. To top things off, he incorporated the distinctive label, slanted at 20 degrees, to make his product stand out even further from the crowd. This was how the iconic look of every bottle of Johnnie Walker was born. 

Birth of the labels

In 1889, Alexander left the company to his sons, Alexander II and George. The brothers renamed the successful new range of whiskies a decade later, after the colours of their distinctive labels. In 1909, the pioneering Johnnie Walker Red Label and iconic Black label bottles were born. It was also then that the brothers adopted the ‘Striding Man’ during a lunch with Tom Browne, a leading young illustrator, who sketched an idea of a logo at the back of a menu. 

Since then, Johnnie Walker has continually reinvented itself by pushing boundaries through innovation as well as making its foothold in more countries. By the end of the 20th Century, the Johnnie Walker Blue Label, a pinnacle to a blender’s art, joined the ranks of its pioneer to add onto the award winning range with the likes of Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve and Johnnie Walker Island Green.

About The Whisky

Production

What constitutes a proper Scotch Whiskey? For one to be befitting of the name Scotch, it has to be made entirely in Scotland using malted barley or grain. Thereafter, aged in oak casks no bigger than 700 litres, minimumly for 3 years. The main differences between types of whisky boils down to four things: the grain used, the production process, where the whisky was made, and how long it was matured.

Tips on How to Enjoy

The taste and aroma of the Johnnie Walker whiskeys can differ depending on your preferences on enjoyment. Although there is no best way to enjoy whiskey, experimenting with specific glassware and serving temperatures can result in a different overall scent, flavor and taste. A pureist would enjoy Johnnie Walker neat, while others may prefer it with a few droplets of water, or on the rocks for a lighter taste. This is typically known as opening up the flavors.

1. Pour it into a glass and inhale from the tip twice. On the first time, you may notice notes like liquorice, and on the second,a different aroma like wood and spice.
2. Take a sip in its pure state, as little as you can, and allow the liquid to slide across your tongue. This will give you an idea of the intensity and different flavors present in the whiskey so you can decide if you want to add in some ice or water.

Pro tip: don't gulp the whiskey down! Take your time between sips to truly appreciate the aftertaste. You may discover different flavors with every sip.

Popular Media Features

Recognized for its taste and aesthetics, Johnnie Walker adds a touch of elegance to the scenes it has featured in. Johnnie Walker has made multiple appearances in movies like Lethal Weapon 2 and Black Hawk Down, just to name a few. If you’re an active moviegoer, you may have caught the latest installment of the G.I Joe franchise, Snake Eyes G.I. Joe: Origins, when it hit local cinemas back in July 2021. If you were too caught up with the well-choreographed action scenes during this blockbuster, heres a refresher.

Photo courtesy of https://productplacementblog.com/movies/johnnie-walker-black-label-scotch-whisky-in-snake-eyes-g-i-joe-origins-2021/

A Bottle for Your Night Walk 

Did you know that Johnnie Walker was granted a Royal warrant as John Walker & Sons by King George V on supplying whisky to the royal household, where it made its mark in becoming a symbol of prestige. Here at Cellarbration we bring the prestige to you, offering a wide range of Johnnie Walker labels for your browsing pleasure. Just choose, and give us the order. We’ll be on our way to your doorstep to serve you. As an added perk, its free alcohol delivery for orders $99 and above.