The gifting segment drives great business value; on average, consumers spend 30% more on a gift than they do on a product for themselves, the emerging middle class being key contributors. Presenting different price points and limited editions of signature products drives consumer trade-up. Trade customers have the opportunity to provide end-consumers with exclusive and differentiated propositions. Partnership gifting has proven to be a vital growth driver for JOHNNIE WALKER® BLUE LABEL™.

Alfred Dunhill was the perfect partner to help Johnnie Walker Blue Label strengthen its position as an iconic luxury brand. Together, the JOHNNIE WALKER® BLUE LABEL™ Limited Edition Collection designed by Alfred Dunhill was developed, a range of luxury covetables inspired by the journey shared by two purveyors of British luxury – from London, representing the perfect blend of heritage and modernity, to Scotland, reflecting the elements of landscape, energy, nature and raw beauty.

Available from November 2013, the goal was to deliver our highest-ever gifting innovation across more than 60 markets globally with an up-charge over the normal range.

The launch campaign, Celebrating A Journey Shared, delivered beautiful, luxury, 360o assets – including a compelling storytelling narrative, a short digital film featuring aspirational talent, a microsite, bespoke tours based on the inspiration of the collection, events, retail activation, beautiful catalogues – bringing forth the brand’s boldest ever equity-driving programme and opening doors to the world of fashion and its key influencers. We achieved more than 45 million impressions worldwide.

1 Source: Diageo Reserve Brands Webcast October 2012

The campaign applied a phased execution approach with integration across multiple consumer touch points.

The Partnership and Collection was announced in June 2013, followed by media outreach targeting year-end gifting features.

Globally influential media were invited to be part of a trip that took them from London to Scotland. It culminated back in London for the launch event at the Home of Alfred Dunhill, where we engaged key media and influencers, resulting in positive coverage and social media conversations. At the event, both the short film, “Celebrating A Journey Shared” and the microsite, celebratingajourneyshared.com, were launched.

From launch day, consumers were engaged through the microsite, owned Facebook channels, key retail channels and airports concurrently, while VIPs and influencers were invited to exclusive launch events to preview the Collection.

Johnnie Walker Blue Label and luxury travel agency Black Tomato created The Four Corners travel series to commemorate the Collection.

The campaign achieved over 750,000,000 impressions globally and a total PR value of over USD3.5 million.

This was supported by:

• 748,259 views of the film on YouTube, despite little media investment

• An average microsite visit of 5 min 41s and 7.2 pages per visit

• 3,140,638 impressions on Facebook

The campaign broke records globally and products were sold out in several markets.

In India, Collection stories appeared on front pages of agenda-setting media – something no other luxury brand has done locally. Associations with Hello! Hall of Fame and Economic Times awards dialed up the Collection’s luxury credentials. An event attended by the Young Presidents’ Organisation chapter in India scored 10/10 by guests.

In Russia, the campaign generated more than 31,000,000 impressions. In France, it reached 9,684,717 people.

Collection sold out in several countries during the year end festive period.