For ladies, Diageo pours ‘Jane Walker’

Johnnie Walker

is rolling out a female version of its iconic logo, an attempt to draw more women to the world’s best-selling scotch and acknowledge a broader push toward gender equality.


A limited US edition of the whisky will have a striding woman on the label and carry the name Jane Walker. Brand owner

Diageo

is hoping the move widens the appeal of the product while celebrating women, said

Stephanie Jacoby

, VP of Johnnie Walker. “Scotch as a category is seen as particularly intimidating by women,” Jacoby said in an interview. “It’s a really exciting opportunity to invite women into the brand.”

Diageo isn’t alone in putting a female face on a traditionally male mascot. KFC, the fried-chicken chain run by Yum! Brands, tapped country singer Reba McEntire in January to appear as Colonel Sanders in its latest marketing campaign.

The launch is the latest part of the brand’s “Keep Walking America” push, which began in 2016. The campaign is an attempt to speak to a broader audience, with ads spotlighting Latinos and veterans. Scotch whisky volumes grew just over 2% between 2002 and 2017 in the US, according to the

US Distilled Spirits Council

. And Johnnie Walker has outpaced many competitors, growing 18% in 2017, boosted by a revival of cocktail culture.