Dive Brief:
- Scotch distiller Johnnie Walker launched a “digital mentorship” program across Amazon Echo devices, Facebook’s Messenger app and videos featuring bartender Jeff Bell.
- The campaign is particularly tied to Amazon allowing consumers to connect via the Alexa digital assistant on Amazon Echo, Echo Dot, Amazon Tap, Amazon Fire TV and more by saying, “Alexa, open Johnnie Walker.”
- Mobile users can also connect with a Messenger bot to learn more about the brand and where it can be found.
Dive Insight:
The overall campaign is an interesting use of Amazon’s Echo device as well as a Messenger chatbot, and a case study on how marketers can make use of digital assistants. It’s a new channel and one that more people will be engaged with given the advent of smart homes and the Internet of Things.
A number of brands have already introduced skills, or mini apps, for Amazon Alexa that enabling basic search or ordering functionality. The Johnnie Walker skill is interesting in that offers a fuller experience. After saying, “Alexa, open Johnnie Walker,” the digital assistant then guides users through personalized tastings, recommends products, shares anecdotes from the brand’s history and recommends recipes that can be downloaded to the Amazon app.
"These new programs with Amazon, Facebook and the digital video series help showcase the brand story, but now in a much more fun, playful way," said Stephanie Jacoby, VP Marketing for Johnnie Walker. "This program redefines home entertaining and whisky education and allows our consumers to experience Johnnie Walker in a way they never have before.”
The ability to integrate educational content with ordering on Amazon is one advantage Alexa has over digital assistants from Google and Apple.
