Johnnie Walker Blue Label is the premium blend of one of the best-selling Scottish whiskey labels worldwide. In 2010, Studio F. A. Porsche was asked to highlight the exclusivity of the Blue Label with a newly designed whiskey bar. In addition, the design is meant to include different package designs, such as bundles with glasses and an ice bucket.
The initial question is: Which target group should be addressed in order to strengthen the Blue Label’s position in the premium segment and thus increase the brand awareness in this segment? The briefing concentrates solely on the question of how to best use the synergies between the whiskey brand and Studio F. A. Porsche to present the product in an innovative way. A thorough analysis of the Johnnie Walker brand sheds light on their current position on the spirits market.
The next step involves detailed research and close cooperation with Scottish whiskey experts in order to find out how to transform drinking whiskey into an experience; this results in the creation of the Perfect Serve for customers. The Perfect Serve consists of ice cubes, ice-cold water and of course whiskey.
Based on this analysis, the target groups identified so far (mature, well-to-do and established men) are expanded with a new market segment – the energetic “young professionals”. In the brainstorming phase, different designs are created which offer solutions for the design question. But the private bar only gets its final signature look in the concrete product development phase – when all the components are created by hand in cooperation with an exclusive interior design company from Dresden.
The colours and materials used here are painstakingly chosen to suit the brand and its design language. The newly designed elements of the luxurious bar are implemented in cooperation with experts in the fields of refrigeration, kinematics, control technology, LED technology, metal construction and leather processing, who all contribute their expertise to this project.
The design process results in an exclusive, handmade whiskey bar. With a design inspired by the classic Johnnie Walker bottle, the frame is an impressive size, at over two meters long and 350 kg. The way the bar opens highlights its luxurious character. The front and main parts open at the push of a button, and with a 90-degree twist in the opposite direction, the lower part of the bar is lowered. This allows a glimpse into the inside of the bar.
The private bar is a symbiosis of the values of both brands and consists of an exquisitely crafted frame made of brushed stainless steel in the minimalist look of the F. A. Porsche studio. The interior is characterized by luxurious leather and wood fittings that display the magnum bottle and two classic sized bottles, including an ice water carafe and cooled glasses. Thus, the bar serves as both a functional room piece and at the same time creates a sculptural setting for the Perfect Serve.
