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Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/504798
www.cheersonline.com 30 • May 2015 JOHNNIE WALKER Diageo 18 Growth Brand Awards 2014 Cases sold: 930,000 Johnnie Walker's storied history begins nearly 200 years ago when the brand's namesake began selling whisky at his grocery store in Scotland. John Walker's son, Alexander, created the square bottle and label the brand has become known for back in the 1860s. Today the brand is available in more than 200 countries in expressions including Red Label, Black Label, Double Black, Gold Label Reserve, Platinum Label, Blue Label and several small-release expressions. "The portfolio is positioned as a leader around the world, since we have the largest inventory of the most sought-after whiskies to fuel global demand for both single malts and blends at the high end," says Brian Cox, director of Scotch whisky for Diageo North America. "We also have one of the most recognizable trademarks in the world, with the Striding Man emblazoned on our bottle for over a century." The brand sees an opportunity to engage with younger legal-drinking-age consumers as education, the pursuit of craft, the cocktail renaissance and pop culture have all increased excitement around whisky. "Before, there was a stigma around brown spirits for a younger generation of consumers who felt they were too challenging or 'not for me,'" Cox adds. For the past decade, Johnnie Walker's "Keep Walking" campaign has created an emotional connection and relevancy of the brand in consumers' lives, Cox says. "As a brand with a deep commitment to progress, Johnnie Walker embodies its own philosophy to constantly produce the highest-quality product and continues its heritage of innovation to stay ahead of global consumer demands." KETEL ONE Diageo 15 Growth Brand Awards 2014 Cases sold: 2.16 million Ketel One is made at a 324-year-old distillery founded in 1691 and overseen by 11 generations of the Nolet family. The vodka was first introduced to the U.S. market in 1983. Distilled in Holland, Ketel One was named an Established Growth brand for 2015 and rounds out Diageo's four Hall of Fame brands. "My father, Carolus Nolet, Sr., is the founder and master distiller of Ketel One vodka," says Carl Nolet, Jr. "He was the tenth generation of Nolet distillers to oversee our family's distillery in Schiedam, Holland. Next year is a big milestone for us, as the family business turns 325 years old—we're extremely proud and it's quite an achievement." Every batch of the vodka is tasted and approved by a member of the Nolet family before it's released, making the family's lineage a key component in the authenticity and craftsmanship of the brand. The brand relies on support from bartenders, who have the opportunity to hear the brand's story, taste test the vodka and learn how it's made. The company also explains how Ketel One is named after the original coal-fired Distilleerketel #1. "The bartenders who sell our brand go through our taste test and experience firsthand the "four F's" of Ketel One—fragrance, flavor, feel and finish," Nolet says. "Our focus has always been on what's inside the bottle." Ketel One also relies on support from consumers and the recent trend toward quality and authenticity. "We're very happy that today's drinkers are more discerning than ever before," Nolet says. "They're more knowledgeable than ever and they increasingly seek out brands with a real passion for their craft and a real story." MAKER'S MARK Beam Suntory 17 Growth Brand Awards 2014 Cases sold: 1.34 million Founded in 1953 by Bill Samuels, Sr. in Loretto, KY, the Maker's Mark Distillery is now a National Historic Landmark, welcoming visitors and bourbon lovers to the whisky's homeplace. Since that time, the brand has introduced Cask Strength and Maker's 46 to the portfolio. GROWTH BRANDS HALL OF FAMERS