Diageo launches social media campaign

Diageo, through its Johnnie Walker brand, has launched a social media project to get communities involved in either technology, arts or business projects.

The Keep Walking Project relies on consumer participation and the campaign is to operate in Bulgaria, Brazil, Greece, Lebanon, Spain, Thailand and Vietnam.

The concept is to run from central Facebook hubs and feature TV, outdoor and digital activity as well as a free iPhone app.

60” and 30” second TV adverts will air around the world from 29 September and run throughout the course of the campaign. Titled ‘Step Together’, the advert features a young man who encourages members of his local community to work together to discover a better environment to live in.

Consumers will be able to help shape the outcome of the campaign by earning ‘steps’– a virtual currency that can be attributed to each initiative – by participating in a series of challenges on official Johnnie Walker Facebook pages or via a free iPhone pedometer app.

Gavin Pike, global brand director for Johnnie Walker, said: “We’re building on decades of innovation in advertising to launch the first participative Johnnie Walker campaign. This bold next step for the brand will offer our consumers a collective sense of participation and achievement and hopefully spark new thinking about what can be achieved by working together.”

The campaign was originally devised by BBH and Independents United and developed in conjunction with Edelman and AKQA.

The three initiatives chosen for year one are:

Pavegen: Powering urban areas using only footsteps

Pavegen’s paving slabs convert kinetic energy from their footsteps is into renewable electricity. An interactive, people-powered light-installation will appear in the markets where Pavegen earns the most steps.

Ze Frank: Giving cities a voice

In markets where Ze Frank earns the most steps, the artist will unveil a “pop up” public artwork. Ze Frank will use the submissions of individuals - their photos and statements of hope – as part of the piece.

Hub Culture: Encouraging and enabling enterprise

In markets where Hub Culture gains the most support, this private network of “doers and thinkers” will create a pop-up space in a major city where people can develop their business ideas through one-on-one advice sessions or a series of talks led by inspiring entrepreneurs and business leaders.

The winners in each market will be announced in Autumn 2011. Each project will be executed in Spring 2012.