Johnnie Walker, BBH China and Ogilvy Shanghai embark on a 12-film journey in China

ASIA-PACIFIC – SHANGHAI, CHINA, JANUARY 13, 2011 – Johnnie Walker whisky, BBH China and a 360 Degree team from Ogilvy Shanghai have teamed up to launch the most ambitious brand campaign of its type in China and the most significant digital social media effort in the brand’s history in this market.

 
The campaign, launched on January 5th and entitled "Yulu" or "Words of a Journey", takes the form of 12 documentaries about Chinese pioneers from the fields of business and the arts reflecting on their life journeys against the backdrop of modern China. The featured personalities include SOHO chairman Pan Shiyi, artist Xu Bin, social activist Wang Keqing and fashion designer Wang Yiyang.

Using the longer form approach and a strong digital media element, the campaign aims to spark a larger conversation on behalf of the brand.
 
“What could be more appropriate to a brand that is all about progress than to talk about some of China’s most progressive individuals. We are excited about this campaign as it allows us to communicate with Chinese consumers in a heart to heart way and co-opt them into our brand values,” said Foo Siew Ting, regional brand director, Johnnie Walker.

"Too much advertising in China is simply aspirational depictions of made up lives. We wanted to do something much more true to the authentic nature of the brand by reflecting upon real people and their real stories and do it in a radically different format,” said Johnnie Tan, executive creative director, BBH China.
 
To spark a nationwide cultural debate ahead of the release of the documentary series, Johnnie Walker seeded a bold social media campaign across 40+ digital platforms. Central to the success of the digital campaign was the involvement of Han Han, author of China’s most popular blog and one of Time magazine’s ‘most influential figures’. His series of videos for Johnnie Walker’s blog and initiation of a discussion on whether dreams still exist in the lives of China’s often conflicted 80s generation caused the conversation to spread like wildfire across the web.

In the last two months alone, more than 100 respected Chinese bloggers and digital influencers, including media moguls, TV personalities, famed authors and cultural icons, participated in the online exchange and shared their dreams and what inspires them to “Keep Walking”.

Chris Reitermann, President, Ogilvy & Mather Group Shanghai, said, "This campaign touched a chord with consumers and earned their attention because it inspired them to share their dreams and “Keep Walking” towards them.”

Targeting the 80s generation aged 25 to 35, Johnnie Walker’s new TVC and digital campaign will run nationwide until March 2011. View all the videos at: johnniewalker.tudou.com/yulujihua . See the rest of the campaign on its Sina Blog, Douban page, and on Sina Weibo. 

CREDITS:
Johnnie Walker: Siew-Ting Foo, Cathy Guo, Lawrence Law, Cindy Lim

Ogilvy Group/Shanghai:
360 Digital Engagement Planning: Keen Yim, Vivian Tu, Maggie Luo, Lance Wang
PR & Digital Editorial: Ella Chan, Vivian Tu, Lance Wang, Carrie Zhou, Juliette Hu
Creative & Production: Zhu Hao, Natalie Lam, Michael Chu, Kurt Deng, Lala Wang, Kama Zhang
Media Planning & Search Marketing: Charmaine Lau, Jezzebel Gu

BBH Credits:
Creative: Johnny Tan, Craig Howie, Leo Zhang
Account Management: Adrey Low, Jasmine Huang, Joyce Hong
Planner: Charles Wigley, James Sowden
Producer: Jasmine Huang
Production house: XstreamProduction
Directors: Song Fang, Wang Zizhao, Cheng Zhiheng, Chen Tao, Wei Tie, Tan Chui Mui
Producer: Zhang Dong, Eva Lam
Composer: Ling Qiang
Executive Producer: Jia Zhangke