INTERNATIONAL. Diageo has announced a contemporary redesign for the Johnnie Walker Blue Label bottle, in a bid to position the flagship brand for success in the luxury spirits market.
The new design aims to “amplify the brand’s appeal to high net worth consumers as they celebrate their own personal achievements”, the drinks giant said.
Pioneering the super-deluxe Scotch whisky category, Blue Label was launched in 1992 as a celebration of Alexander Walker’s 1867 Old Highland Whisky. Blended by Master Blender Jim Beveridge, the rare whiskies combine to create richness and smoke, layers of honey and fruit and a smooth finish.
The global roll-out in travel retail starts in August 2011 on a “significant scale”, Diageo said, with a fresh visibility technique to hero the bottle, new above-the-line creative, an iPad application for use in-store as part of a focus on brand ambassadors, a 90-second video showcasing the story of Blue Label, engraving units and a public relations programme.
Additionally, key strategic flagships are set to benefit from investment. For example, Shanghai will see a prime out-of-store promotional site and, at Seoul Incheon Airport, a large concourse activation will take place in October. At Dubai Duty Free, the Emporium store will be transformed into a Johnnie Walker Blue Label lounge from mid-September until mid-October, with further out-of-store activation to interact with passengers on the concourse.
Blue Label is featured extensively across Russia with permanent and semi-permanent enhanced visibility both in and out of store, including giant lightboxes and dedicated gondolas at principal locations such as Moscow and St Petersburg.
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The one-litre redesigned Blue Label bottle retails at US$235 and features crafted details reflecting the brand’s commitment to both past and present, aiming to enhance the authenticity of the 190 year-old House of Johnnie Walker |
The one-litre redesigned bottle retails at US$235 and features crafted details reflecting the brand’s commitment to both past and present, aiming to enhance the authenticity of the 190 year-old House of Johnnie Walker. These include the square bottle, slanting label, royal warrant and the striding man.
The most prominent new feature is the visual impact of the thick glass base and side walls showcasing the blend inside, enabling stand-out on-shelf, according to the firm. The glass colour has progressed from a heavy green tone to a subtle light blue glass designed to enhance the liquid, creating an appearance of liquid suspension within the bottle.
The John Walker & Sons monogram and Royal Warrant are printed directly onto the glass in gold, providing strong quality cues for these features, while prominent individual bottle numbering is designed to reflect the exclusivity.
Diageo GTME Marketing Director Steve White explained the strategy: “This is not simply a re-launch in the conventional sense, it’s a much more substantial strategic development for the brand that is the pinnacle of the art of blending from the House of Johnnie Walker. With this stunning new pack we have created a platform for Diageo to get behind Johnnie Walker Blue Label in the 21st Century and take it to heights we couldn’t have dreamed of before.
He added: “It is essential that the brand continually adapts to the demands of the modern luxury consumer by bringing together the epic achievement that is Johnnie Walker Blue Label in terms of its rarity in cask, craft and character together with the sense of occasion with which modern achievers choose this incredible liquid to celebrate their personal successes in life. Those demands are evolving faster than ever, particularly in the acceleration of luxury consumers in Asia Pacific, and we’re confident that this new evolution positions Johnnie Walker Blue Label to lead the category over future decades.
“As Alexander Walker himself says on every bottle, “˜our blend cannot be beat’. We now have a bottle design that cannot be beat either.”
About Johnnie Walker Blue Label Blended Scotch Whisky
Johnnie Walker Blue Label is the flagship blended Scotch whisky from the House of Johnnie Walker. Presented in individually numbered bottles, it is reminiscent of the 19th Century style of whiskies. The Master Blender selects rare casks from the Johnnie Walker reserves to create its powerful, complex, smooth character.
Blue Label is described as having a mellow, rounded nose, with a dry smokiness, combined with raisin sweetness. It is best enjoyed with the palate cleansed and cooled by iced water. A velvety mouth-feel is followed by flavours of hazelnuts, honey, rose petals, sherry and oranges. Kumquats, aromatic smoke, sandalwood, tobacco and dark chocolate can also be tasted.
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