JOHNNIE WALKER

Background / Task

• Through market research, Johnnie Walker discovered that cricket provided a strong link and trigger point to current and potential consumers of their Red Label product.
• Johnnie Walker Red Label provides an introduction to the Johnnie Walker brand, and then encourages consumers to evolve through the hierarchy of scotch whiskeys, thus making the Red Label entry point very important for capturing new consumers.
• Insite was engaged to develop a strategy to a) develop and b) leverage and integrate an association with cricket for Johnnie Walker in Australia.

Insite’s Solution

• Insite investigated suitable and negotiable cricket assets that Johnnie Walker may be able to own in an already cluttered ad competitive alcoholic beverage sponsorship market.
• Johnnie Walker’s introduction to cricket in Australia was via an ICC owned event – The Johnnie Walker Super Series which saw Australia take on a World XI in both a 6 day Super Test and One Day International.
• Strategy included:
  • sponsorship negotiation (including ICC asset ownership followed by Cricket Australia relationship)
  • signage negotiation and implementation
  • venue pourage rights and hospitality opportunities
  • agency integration
  • co-sponsor integration
  • talent
  • creation of stand-alone events owned by Johnnie Walker
  • competition integration (involving talent and sponsorship assets for both consumers and retailers)
  • staff integration and involvement including sales incentives, access to talent, tickets and hospitality
  • recognition as the ‘Official Scotch Whiskey’ of Cricket Australia

The Results
In their first two seasons of sponsorship of cricket in Australia, Johnnie Walker has achieved:

• Market share changes.
• Naming rights ownership of the Johnnie Walker Super Series.
• Creation and ownership of the Johnnie Walker Red Label Lounge – a key hospitality asset to provide sales and purchase incentives for retailers and consumers.