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Looking for ‘Uncle Johnnie’: The extraordinary success of Johnnie Walker Scotch Whisky in India
Journal of Brand Strategy,
11
(4),
320-336
(2023)
Abstract
This case study examines the factors underlying the success of Johnnie Walker Scotch whisky in India. India provides a quixotic case in that it is the world’s largest whisky market, despite having a long tradition of abstinence and social stigma towards alcohol-drinking. The paper traces the history of Johnnie Walker and how it metamorphosed from a tradition-bound Scottish company into a global brand with its footprint in more than 180 countries. India has emerged as a very profitable market for Diageo, the parent company of Johnnie Walker. Detailed here are the distinctive characteristics of the Indian alcohol market as well as the novel tactics Diageo has implemented towards Johnnie Walker’s goal of capturing 56 per cent of the Scotch market in the country. The paper ends with managerial implications that are relevant for marketing professionals and brand practitioners even in disparate industries looking to penetrate and develop overseas markets.
Keywords: Johnnie Walker; Scotch whisky; Diageo; India; Indian alcohol market; brand strategy
The full article is available to subscribers to the journal.
Author's Biography
Jay I. Sinha is Associate Professor of Marketing and Supply Chain Management at the Fox School of Business, Temple University, Philadelphia. He is the lead author of Reverse Psychology Marketing: The Death of Traditional Marketing and the Rise of the New ‘Pull’ Game (Palgrave-MacMillan, 2007). Dr Sinha’s research areas are brand strategy, consumer brand perceptions and social media influencers. He has previously published in such journals as Harvard Business Review, MIT Sloan Management Review, Journal of Marketing, Journal of Marketing Research and Strategic Management Journal. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and Engineering from Jadavpur University (India), an MBA from Georgia Tech, A.M. in Statistics and a PhD in Business Administration from the University of Michigan. His research has been cited in international media such as CNN.com, The Sunday Times of London, Wall Street Journal and The Economic Times (India).
Sunil H. Contractor is Visiting Assistant Professor of Marketing at The University of Tampa. His research areas are brand strategy, escalation of commitment, emotions (regret and disappointment) and scale design. He has published papers in Journal of Behavioral Decision Making, Cornell Hospitality Quarterly and International Journal of Innovation Management and Journal of Targeting, Measurement and Analysis for Marketing. Sunil has earned a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from Gujarat University (India), a master’s degree in Computer Science from Northeastern University, a master’s degree in Business Administration from The Ohio State University and a PhD in Marketing from the University of Georgia. He has over 12 years of R&D experience in the telecommunications industry, including prestigious research organisations such as AT&T Bell Labs. He has worked on over 20 new product introduction projects that have generated millions of dollars of revenue. Sunil holds 34 innovation patents in his name.
