Johnnie Walker Ignites, ‘No Labels Challenge’ with ‘Keep Walking’ Campaign

Mary Nnah

For over two centuries, Johnnie Walker, the world’s number one Scotch whisky, has embodied the spirit of progress, optimism and possibilities. In line with its global campaign, it has launched a powerful Pan African Campaign tagged “Keep Walking”.

Featuring in the Ad are: the African Giant, Burna Boy; Entertainment business mogul, Bose Ogulu aka Mama Burna (Nigeria), a collective of four contemporary artists – Urban Pitchaz (Kenya), youngest DJ on the scene- DJ Turkana (Uganda), and Nigeria’s first skating community, Waffles and Cream.

The Keep Walking campaign is borne out of the insight that there is a growing trend of “Afro-optimism” among young people in Africa, driven by a “strong sense” of individual responsibility, entrepreneurship and confidence in an African identity. This is a contrast to traditional expectations and stereotypes of how Africans are meant to show up at work and play and is now more than ever, evident in how a whole generation of Africans are coming together with the freedom and audacity to shape the future, to live their own truth- Unboxed, Un-labelled, creating new spaces and tribes, and building an exciting new Africa that is full of possibilities.

Leading the pan-African campaign is a video which showcases an energetic and vibrant ‘Anthem’ that mirrors the trials of being non-conformist and forward-thinking, while addressing negative labels, and depicting the doggedness of the average Nigerian youth. Johnnie Walker, in this Ad, highlights the resilience of the youths in defying labels and embracing Afro-optimism, while calling on them to step forward and keep walking. With this reimagined Keep Walking campaign, the brand will inspire people to take bold strides by internalising the energy, words and thoughts of cultural icons and pioneers who share the same spirit.

Marketing Manager, International Premium Spirits, Guinness Nigeria Ifeoma Agu, said, “We are really excited about unleashing the brand character and magnetic personality of Johnnie Walker such that it jumps off the screen and into culture. With this campaign, Johnnie Walker will be the proximate collaborator in the unbridled expression of self, the refusal to acknowledge labels and a fierce determination to push boundaries in line with the brand’s purpose. Reflecting on what our world has been through these last couple of years, our mantra – Keep Walking – remains relevant now more than ever as Johnnie Walker would be at the forefront of fuelling the Nigerian creative economy and celebrating Nigerian creatives who embody the brand’s long-standing mantra.”

As an extension of the campaign, the brand has also profiled the achievements of some African creatives in a documentary titled “The Ones Who Keep Walking”, a film about bold steps taken by boundary pushers who refuse to stand still, shaping Africa on new terms. It features Nigerians like CKay, Yeni Kuti, Stephen Tayo, Waffles and Cream, Bose Ogulu and Amarachi Nwosu.

To further commemorate the festive season, Nigerians will have an opportunity to embrace Johnnie Walker’s bespoke mega gifting platform across key supermarkets and chains, to celebrate and gift The Ones Who have inspired them to Keep Walking.