Johnnie Walker Introduces Special-Edition ‘Jane Walker’ in Attempt to Woo Women

Not everyone is happy about it.

Johnnie Walker Jane Walker
Photo: Diageo

The iconic, top-hat wearing gent who strolls across the bottom of every bottle of Johnnie Walker is being swapped out for “Jane.” 

A special edition of the scotch company’s Black Label blend will be adorned by a female in celebration of Women’s History Month beginning in March. 

“As a brand that has stood for progress for nearly 200 years, Johnnie Walker is proud to take this next step forward by introducing Jane Walker as another symbol of the brand’s commitment to progress,” it said in a statement. 

Image: Diageo

A Johnnie Walker exec told Bloomberg that the new logo was created to make the whisky more accessible to the female demographic. 

“Scotch as a category is seen as particularly intimidating by women. It’s a really exciting opportunity to invite women into the brand,” Vice President Stephanie Jacoby told Bloomberg.

Predictably, reactions have been mixed. Some see Jane Walker as a sign of progress, while others are calling the move a marketing ploy. 

https://twitter.com/mukimbili/status/968374040275628034https://twitter.com/SteveShippee1/status/968485766715400192

Diageo, Johnnie Walker’s parent company, has priced the Jane Walker Edition at $35. $1 of each bottle sold will be donated to organizations that champion women’s causes, up to $250,000. 

Here’s to Jane! 

h/t: CNN

Mentioned in this article: