Save Johnnie Walker!

Everyone in the world knows Johnnie Walker Whisky, I am sure. However, even the worldly wise, like my boss, may not know that it is actually a brand born and bred in my home town Kilmarnock and continues there to this day, although possibly not for much longer.

History Of The Brand (Purloined from other resources linked below)

Originally known as Walker's Kilmarnock Whisky, the brand is a legacy left by John 'Johnnie' Walker after he started to sell whisky in his grocer's shop in Ayrshire, Scotland. The brand became popular, but it was his son Alexander Walker and grandson Alexander Walker II who were largely responsible for establishing the whisky as a widely popular brand. Walker died in 1857, but his legacy was assured as the Walker family developed the business and grew the Johnnie Walker brand to become world famous.

Alexander Walker first introduced the iconic square bottle in 1870. The other identifying characteristic of the bottle is the label, which is applied at an angle of 24 degrees.

In 1908, when James Stevenson was the Managing Director, there was a rebranding of sorts. The whisky was renamed from Walker's Kilmarnock Whiskies to Johnnie Walker Whisky. In addition, the slogan, "Born 1820 - Still going Strong!" was created, along with the Striding Man, a figure used in their advertisements for around fifty years. Commercial artist Tom Browne created an image of a man wearing a red coat with tails, a top hat, quizzing glass (or monocle) and Hessian boots, and carrying a cane. It was created in the likeness of company founder John Walker.

More History here if you are interested.

Save Johnnie's Home
It seems that on 1st July, Diageo (boo, hiss) who now own the brand, decided to announce that the historic Kilmarnock plant would close in 2011 with the loss of 900 jobs and the work would be consolidated to other Scottish locations.

This news has obviously made a lot of people mad, and everyone from politicians to celebrities are trying to make Diageo change it's mind. A web site has been established to garner support and over 20,000 people (the equivalent of almost half the towns population of 44,000!) marched on Kilmarnock to protest the Diageo proposal, and local football fans made a banner to take on the road to try raise the profile on TV.

Click here to go sign the petition, I already did it!