Hong Kong – A celebration of those who never settle on things as they are as well as being bold in making life decisions: this is the latest mantra for whiskey brand Johnnie Walker as they unveiled its latest global brand activity, featuring South Korean rapper and singer-songwriter CL.
Formerly a part of the K-pop group 2NE1, CL’s powerful personal story of overcoming prejudice to become a global sensation and the first Korean solo female artist to break into the Billboard Top 100 list is explored in the campaign. Despite 2NE1 officially disbanding last 2017, CL went on a solo career journey, where she is known for tracks such as “The Baddest Female” and “Lifted”.
Furthermore, the campaign also features Johnnie Walker Highballs; vibrant and versatile serves that challenge traditional whisky conventions, made to be enjoyed at home as well as in restaurants, bars and for all casual occasions spent with friends. With options including the Johnnie Lemon Highball, Johnnie Peach Highball and Johnnie Ginger Highball, there’s a wide variety of flavors to suit individual tastes.
Speaking about her participation in the campaign, she stated, “I’ve always hoped that by forging new paths, breaking down cultural barriers and challenging stereotypes, I could inspire others to never feel constrained by their background or the status quo they see in the world around them. With their 200-year history of pushing boundaries all over the world, I’m really excited to tell this story with Johnnie Walker.”
With the CL partnership, Johnnie Walker also kicks off the ‘Walkers’ program where the brand is looking at creating a global collective of individuals who are living examples of the Keep Walking philosophy. These are individuals with unwavering passion, defiant optimism, restless curiosity and their perspective of the world inspires people to push boundaries and taste more out of life.
The Johnnie Walker + CL campaign now aims to appeal to the nature of consumers, who look for brands that stand for something and resonate with their own values, beliefs, and taste. It seeks to inspire them through a range of disruptive content starting with digital videos and various online and offline channels.
Over the past two years, Johnnie Walker has been communicating with consumers, platforms like the Busan International Film Festival, and various music festivals. Last year, due to the pandemic, it successfully accomplished an array of projects to communicate with consumers, such as the ‘Online Johnnie Party’ with famous bartenders and hip-hop musicians, and the hip-hop competition TV show ‘SHOW ME THE MONEY 9’.
