Keep walking – if you can find it
I was a big fan of last year’s Johnnie Walker epic by BBH – The Man Who Who Walked Around The World – featuring Robert Carlyle.
So it was with some trepidation that I watched this Australian twist on the theme, featuring cricketer Steve Waugh.
The production levels may not have been quite the same, but it is, nonetheless, a decent way of building on the idea. It’s a good piece of work.
However, it does strike me that there has been no discernible strategy to support this piece online. Thus far, it’s had fewer than 2000 views on Johnnie Walker’s Australian YouTube channel, nearly a month after being uploaded. Which is a shame, as it deserves to find an audience.
Meanwhile, different copies of the original have accumulated more than a million views:
I sincerely hope the Steve Waugh version doesn’t prove to be one of those made-for-award-shows films that end up getting more jury views than it does from the public.
Unfortunately, the signs are that the social media strategy may be an afterthought. At the time of writing, the link through to the Johnnie Walker Facebook page from its YouTube channel is wrong – with Au and Aus muddled.
(At the time of writing, I’m not sure which agency is responsible for the work – Leo Burnett does a lot of Diageo’s stuff, but JWT’s address appears on the terms and conditions of a competition associated with this campaign. I’ve made a number of calls that have not yet brought an answer, but I’ll update this when they do. Update: the ad is by Leo Burnett.)
It’s not too late, but if this work is going to get the online audience it deserves, somebody who understands how to promote YouTube videos needs to get to work.
Tim Burrowes
Tim Burrowes founded Mumbrella in 2008. He worked on Mumbrella until 2021. At various points he was editor, content director and editor-at-large.
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I don’t think it is a patch on the original I’m afraid. The proposition and message are fine as a TV ad concept, but the cuts to video clips totally take away from the theme and character of ‘keep walking’. Message lost… no reason to share…hence 2000 vs 1 million
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Keep walking, nothing to see here, move along…
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“It’s not too late, but if this work is going to get the online audience it deserves, somebody who understands how to promote YouTube videos needs to get to work”
– step 1 complete: Get mumbrella to mention it…
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Most of the charm from the original is lost by Steve not delivering it. Difficult with numerous different angles, but still, if Tubby Taylor can deliver a Fujitsu commercial…
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Always looking at the positives Tim…..
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It’s a Leo Burnett spot, Director Justin McMillan via Film Construction.
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A simple search on Facebook reveals the Johnnie Walker Facebook page. It features a promotion asking fans to upload their own stories of inspiration for the chance to meet Steve Waugh. Social media is playing a big role in connecting the consumers with the campaign.
(And yes, I work on JW!)
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Hi AK,
I’d argue that getting the basics right like actually putting the correct link to the Facebook page from the YouTube channel are important. (I see you have corrected that now). And I’m not sure how often the average punter will randomly be searching Facebook for the Johnnie Walker page. I sincerely hope there’s more to your social media strategy than hoping people will search for it.
And what is your strategy for getting the work in front of people on YouTube? Or are you not bothering and hoping they find you on Facebook?
Cheers,
Tim – Mumbrella
JJ – I don’t think having your peers see the ad in Mumbrella is the best strategy for pushing your video out to a larger audience.
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Copywriter forgot the ’99 World Cup – needed to win every game and were written off, Steve Waugh’s unbeaten 120* against South Africa in the final must-win Super Six game, “you just dropped with World Cup” comment etc.
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I believe it’s a fine ad until 40 seconds in. I just can’t get around that image of an Indian children’s home being featured in an ad for whisky. There’s just a hint of exploitation.
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