The Benefits Of Whisky And Walking…

At the same time? There’s many a centenarian who’d swear by that combination – including Johnnie Walker – as Bob Dylan joins the ranks of whisky aficionados.

Music legend Dylan’s revelation that he’s launching a whisky line called ‘Heaven’s Door’ – named after one of his most admired songs – stirred mixed reactions ranging from outright interest to outraged disbelief.

The anti-consumerist is apparently planning limited editions of rye, bourbon and whiskey, with bottle labels featuring himself and his paintings and iron sculptures.

Dylan joins actor Matthew McConaughey, heavy rockers Motorhead, martial arts champ Conor McGregor, footballer/model David Beckham, and fellow musician Willie Nelson as celebs with their own line of whisky.

What is it about whisky/whiskey, the feisty tipple that was born amid the clear waters of the Scottish Highlands more than 500 years ago, and now ranks globally as both bar favourite and exclusivity symbol?

Music legend Dylan’s revelation that he’s launching a whisky line called ‘Heaven’s Door’ stirred mixed reactions ranging from outright interest to outraged disbelief.

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If anyone can answer that question, it’s Scottish actor Robert Carlyle (‘Trainspotting’, ‘The Full Monty’, The World is Not Enough’) as he tramps through a highland landscape bringing the story of Johnnie Walker whisky to life in an ad made nearly 20 years ago.

Settle down with a wee dram in your hand – this one runs for more than five minutes.

It was the beginning of an unexpected branding turn (Dylan, anyone?) for the top-selling whisky-maker as Johnnie Walker introduced its #KeepWalking slogan.

Not just an effective piece of branding – the slogan became a heady byword for fortitude, and then a rallying cry and form of expression for diverse causes around the world.

Here’s just one example of how Johnnie Walker used the slogan for this extraordinary work in which U.S. Spencer Tunick photographer and the Museum of Modern Art in Bogota collaborated with people from both sides of Colombia’s civil war to create a mass nude art event illustrating the country’s peace process.

Food for thought for those who are critical of Bob Dylan’s latest departure? It seems we can all benefit from whisky and walking.

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Tree Elven is a creative who thinks big, values simplicity, and just loves life. She’s the Founder of ADDS, an independent voting platform – it’s like TripAdvisor for advertising.

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