Situation: Renowned globally for luxury, Johnnie Walker Blue Label’s image among young, affluent Chinese consumers, however, needed a makeover. To address this, brand sought a partner with a following among such consumers that also shared its luxury vision. GQ China was the obvious choice, with GQ MOTY providing the idea platform to boost Johnnie Walker’s luxury credentials.

Brief: Design a creative omnichannel campaign leveraging Johnnie Walker’s partnership with GQ MOTY to truly set the brand apart from competitors, while speaking to the values and aspirations of GQ’s young and discerning audience.

Objective:

- Generate 100 million+ social media impressions in lead-up to and following GQ MOTY.

- Achieve over 1 million engagements across key social media, fostering a deeper connection with consumers.

- Propel Johnnie Walker Blue Label to become one of the top-selling whisky brands on Tmall, leveraging the partnership to drive sales and affirm its luxury market position.

The creative idea behind Johnnie Walker's "Keep Walking Beyond Time" campaign evoked the brand’s enduring “Keep Walking” message of progress and perseverance juxtaposed with the timeless elegance embodied by the 2023 “Beyond Time” theme of GQ MEN OF THE YEAR.

Brought to life against the backdrop of the historic Chinese town of Puyuan, it's a narrative that successfully leveraged Johnnie Walker's legacy of whisky making and GQ's cultural influence to resonate deeply with a new generation of Chinese luxury consumers. The historical significance of the venue location meanwhile underscored the campaign's intent to blend the brand's rich heritage with ancient Chinese cultural elements, testifying to Johnnie Walker’s renowned ability to merge traditional values with modern aspirations in order to redefine luxury and inspire consumers to embrace their journey with confidence and style.

Targeting young, affluent, digitally-savvy consumers, campaign aimed to leverage the prestige of GQ MOTY to change perceptions of Johnnie Walker Blue Label, highlighting the brand’s luxury appeal through an all-encompassing omnichannel approach, key elements of which included:

•Rich & Engaging Content shared across social media, including stunning visual elements, as well as stories and achievements of those embodying the "Keep Walking" spirit, inspired by the mastery and leadership exemplified by both GQ and Johnnie Walker Blue.

•Exclusive offline experiences including the BLUE TABLE sessions, bespoke tastings and exclusive product showcases to redefine perceptions of blended whisky and help consumers get closer to the brand.

•Celebrity endorsements to reinforce the brand’s luxury image, as well as drive sales through Tmall livestreaming.

•Efforts to establish cultural relevance, blending the brand’s rich heritage with Chinese cultural elements, fostering a connection that would resonate with modern China’s appreciation for both tradition and contemporary luxury.

Over two months of meticulous planning, Johnnie Walker was integrated into every facet of GQ town. The campaign kicked off with a teaser phase six weeks prior on social, followed by targeted digital ads and influencer collaborations to generate buzz. Exclusive content was released leading up to and during the event, including behind-the-scenes and highlights.

National outreach was achieved through social media efforts and on-site activations: a branded lounge for tastings, the BLUE TABLE luxury dining sessions in collaboration with GQ’s editor-in-chief and exclusive product showcases.

The brand harmonized with GQ’s communications throughout, making real-time adjustments for maximum impact. Custom celebrity shoots and strategic participation in GQ’s official livestreams heightened anticipation and engagement.

Relocating the Tmall livestream to GQ Town, with celebrity and KOL participation, not only enhanced brand visibility but also translated into remarkable sales achievements, demonstrating the power of integrated, multi-platform marketing strategies in elevating luxury brand experiences.

Result Highlights:

E-Commerce Victory: The campaign set a new benchmark in the whisky category on Tmall, attracting 392k livestream viewers (4810% vs. daily average) and achieving 110% of target sales. A total GMV of RMB 180,000 was generated (surpassing the target by 46%), securing Johnnie Walker’s position as the platform’s No.1 whisky brand for the first time.

Social Media Impact: 50+ pieces of owned content across WeChat, Red and Douyin smashed expectations, generating 100M impressions on online topics #KeepWalkingBeyondTime, #JohnnieWalker and #JohnnieWalkerBlueLabel

Celebrity Endorsement: The Blue Label logo was featured in 101 A-List Celebrity red carpet photos

Collaboration Success: 20+ Weibo hot topic hashtags were generated, resulting in 1 billion+ impressions and 20.4 million engagements. GQ Livestream content earned 3.8M impressions alone, including a captivating Johnnie Walker brand introduction and the launch of the Blue Label CYN limited edition.