Diageo-owned Johnnie Walker has launched the next phase of its partnership with Grammy-award-winning artist and global pop star Sabrina Carpenter, debuting a new campaign film. The film, which premiered on the jumbotron at Carpenter’s Pittsburgh concert on October 23, aims to celebrate self-expression and the modern whisky consumer.
The content will continue to be shown across all remaining stops on the singer’s tour.
The new advertisement uses a vintage aesthetic with a soft, grainy film style.
It features a voiceover stating, “They told her it was a man’s world… They said whisky wasn’t her drink.”
Carpenter is shown wordlessly dismissing these notions before being served a glass of Johnnie Walker Black Label.
The campaign is said to tie into Carpenter’s new album, Man’s Best Friend, not least because of the adorable puppy lying at her feet, referencing an evolution of “the company she keeps”.
It also appears to address previous social media discussions regarding the singer’s past comments on her preference for whisky, turning the narrative into a story about evolving tastes.
To support the campaign, Johnnie Walker has also released three signature cocktails.
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The serves were inspired by Carpenter’s current “Short n’ Sweet” musical era.
They will be available for consumers aged 21 and over at select stops on the final leg of her U.S. tour.
The first cocktail is the Go Go Highball, a mix of Johnnie Walker Black Label, ginger ale, and sour cherry juice.
It is served in a highball glass over ice and garnished with two black cherries.
The second drink, the Short n’ Sour, is a whisky sour variation combining the Scotch with a house-made strawberry and rose syrup, lemon juice, and aquafaba.
The final cocktail is named Man(hattan’s) Best Friend.
This serve is a twist on a classic Manhattan, made with Johnnie Walker Black Label, sweet vermouth, Amaro Montenegro, espresso, and simple syrup.
It is served straight up in a chilled coupe and garnished with an orange peel disk and a chocolate-covered coffee bean.
The partnership between Johnnie Walker and Sabrina Carpenter reflects a growing trend in the spirits industry.
Brands are increasingly collaborating with musicians and cultural figures to reach younger, more diverse demographics.
These campaigns often leverage the artist’s large social media following and cultural relevance to modernize the brand’s image.
This strategy aims to shift perceptions of traditional spirits categories, such as Scotch whisky, and present them to a new generation of consumers.
