Campaign: Johnny Walker keeps South Africa walking

South Africa celebrates 19 years of freedom tomorrow. It has been 22 years since former president Nelson Mandela took his long walk to freedom. It is fitting, then, that Johnnie Walker launches its ‘Keep Walking South Africa’ campaign that showcases our most inspiring moments and achievements.

“South Africans have accomplished many great achievements and, to continue to inspire and achieve greatness, we need to be reminded of these moments. It is with this insight that the campaign was conceptualised, and we have tried to portray this sentiment in our new TV commercial by highlighting some of the celebrated local historical feats that have made us the impressive nation that we are today,” says Matt Ross, King James executive creative director.

“It is not only about what we have done in the past, it is getting people to realise how much creativity and capacity we have as individuals in a country,” says Nyimpini Mabunda, Brandhouse brown spirits category manager. “If we could do it before, we can do it again.”

The commercial, a beautifully shot evocative black and white film directed by Egg Films’ Kim Geldenhuys, aims to show “how the power of our potential lies within embracing our differences to fuel progress, inspire ideas, creativity and solutions,” says Ross. “All of these differences create a uniquely South African quality, bringing us together and moving us forward as a nation. We hope that through this campaign, the brand inspires South Africans to be reminded of their greatness and to look ahead towards a great future.”

Behind the scenes: The making of the commercial

To complement this vision, Johnny Walker is also launching a digital consumer platform that will invite South Africans to share their achievements and those of others who make them proud to be South African.

“All of these contributions will be assembled later on in this year to create the greatest collection of South African achievements in history,” says Ross.