Evolution of a Brand: Johnnie Walker
Branding plays a major role in developing the image of a product to the customers. It is a means of attracting and maintaining customer loyalty if well presented. This essay focuses on the evolution of the Johnnie Walker brand over the years.
Johnnie Walker is currently the world’s best-selling whiskey, and its premium price makes it the top-seller, going by the revenues accrued. Having existed for over two centuries, Johnnie Walker has managed to remain one of the world’s finest whiskeys. Innovation and reinvention have been among the greatest tenets that have allowed the company to grow and expand over the years. The whiskey business sector has grown and evolved over the years with an increased number of entrants and great competition. Despite the growing competition, Johnnie Walker has managed to remain profitable and grow its brand.
Johnnie Walker, the founder of the whiskey brand, started out as a grocery owner with skill and craft in tea blending. The first blend of whiskey under the brand was produced in 1857 by Alexander Walker, the son of the founder. The mastery of the skill of blending has allowed Alexander to maintain the legacy of the company over the years. The very first decision that Alexander made while at the helm of the company was to pick a square bottle that would be used as the packaging for the whiskey (Woods, 1999, p.69).
The square bottle was chosen owing to the fact that it could stand out from competitors; the design of the bottle would also allow for the fitting of more bottles on a stand or shelf. The other major branding choice that he made was to apply the label at a 24-degree angle, a choice that greatly influenced the brand of the whiskey for many years (Verma, 2006, p.106).
The idea was to ensure that more information could be contained on the label and to make it unique. Another feature that stands out for the Johnnie Walker brand is the “Striding Man” logo. Over the years, the logo has changed to keep up with the changes that have been made on the whiskey. The left hand is pictured tipping the hurt in the new logo and gives it a touch of sophistication.
As the twentieth century came to an end, the Red Label and Black Label Johnnie Walker brands had been added as well as another iconic and unique blend of the Blue Label. All the three blends stood at the very pinnacle of whiskey industry. During this century, the label and image largely remained unchanged with the major focus being placed on the product development line (Verma, 2006, p.105).
The company focused on expanding its range of blends, which included the addition of the Gold Label Reserve and the Johnnie Walker Platinum Label. In an effort to rebrand and meet the advances of its competitors, Johnnie Walker changed its “Striding Man” logo to face forward and change the tag line to Keep Walking” in 2000. This was a move that did seek to emphasize the goal of the company of moving forward.
The new symbol of expression that was placed on the label brought out the concept of progress and added a touch of character to the brand while still retaining the company’s recognition. The new label was instrumental in bringing out the magnetic personality that has been associated with the brand of Johnnie Walker whiskey ever since its inception. The choice of the new tagline would prove successful as it embedded itself within the global culture (Doole and Lowe, 2008, p. 123).
‘Joy Will Take You Further’ highlights a more recent brand evolution by Johnnie Walker of the famous tag line ‘Keep Walking.' The evolution is an attempt to keep up with the trends and seeks to encapsulate a new form of individual progress that has been part and parcel of the company for over fifteen years. The new brand thus incorporates the concept of joy as being part of the journey in the pursuit of success.
A change in the typeface to the Italian sans serif does further enhance the label even on the new Striding Man logo. The Johnnie Walker bottle has also changed over the years. In an attempt to enhance the experience of having a bottle of the Blue Label, the company decided to enhance its aesthetics. For one the blue tint has become much lighter than the traditional bottle allowing the golden hue of the liquid inside to shine through and stand out. In as much as the bottle has retained its four corners, its solid base of the blue tinted glass has been made to appeal rather sharply to the eye.
Celebrity branding has been critical in helping the company maintain its image and status among the customers. By using movie actors and successful sportsmen, the company ensures that it does not lose its iconic legacy. One of the most recognizable personalities to have sponsored the brand was Sir Winston Churchill who while painting a still life picture claimed that the Scotch whisky was the inspiration behind it. The strategy also markets the brand as a premium product associated with the high and mighty in the society. In anticipation of the future, Johnnie Walker has come up with the “From the Future” concept that looks at the next form of brand evolution by the company.
Looking at the success story of the Johnnie Walker brand, one can only imagine its future. With the growing technological advancement, Johnnie Walker has access to many more platforms that it can use to market its brand further. The social media platforms for instance can be used to help develop a more interactive experience with its customers all over the world. Mergers and partnerships form an integral aspect of business in the contemporary business environment. Moving forward the Johnnie Walker brand can utilize this opportunity to enter new and emerging markets around the world.
Partnerships for instance can include technological companies to develop products that depict the Johnnie Walker brand. As the market dynamics continue to change, Johnnie Walker will have to contend with the changing consumer demands and choices. As stated above, technology offers a great opportunity to the company to anticipate and prepare for the future needs of consumers. It should focus on developing customizable and immersive consumer experiences for its customers through the integration of tech-tools in its operations.
References
Doole, I., and Lowe, R., 2008. International marketing strategy: analysis, development and implementation. London, Cengage Learning.
Verma, H. V., 2006. Brand management: text and cases. New Delhi, Excel Books.
Woods, R., 1999. Johnnie Walker: silent movies' favorite son. Baldwin, NY, R. Woods.
