Introduced in 1992, Johnnie Walker Blue Label led the way in establishing an ultra-premium whisky category. By 2006 though it was looking tired and old-fashioned and with increased competition, they faced challenges to their status as category leader.
The redesign was intended to enhance the luxury cues while maintaining the DNA that is at the core of the Blue Label. The story of the brand was central to the refresh and the ‘Celebrating Epic Achievements’ idea was developed.
The new design captures the spirit of epic achievement past and present and the results have been exceptional, with 62% sales and 34% sales volume growth in two years.
Advertising spend has remained the same but sales, volume, market share and price have all risen by between 7% and 16%. In countries where advertising alcohol is not permitted sales have increased significantly, leading Diageo to believe that the redesign is the primary reason for this.
