Kenya Breweries unveils Christmas Gifting Catalogue with Johnnie Walker

Kenya Breweries Limited (KBL) on Thursday unveiled the 2019 Gifting catalogue.

The 30-page gift catalogue is inspired by a KBL Gifting Survey Report conducted in July 2019. The study revealed that alcoholic beverage packs are among the items that Kenyans gift during festivities, but that they lack enough information to guide their selection of gift ideas.

“Thirty nine percent of the respondents said they would consider alcohol as a gift, and whisky is the most popular gift preference,” according to the study.

Responding to this insight, KBL aims at providing information to guide selection of the ideal gift, based on considerations including pedigree, origin story, blend and price.

The gift catalogue, which will be available on KBL’s website, social media and selected off-trade outlets, offers a wide range of alcoholic beverages to choose from, that are well discounted for the season, and bundled with unique souvenirs.

Speaking at the launch KBL’s Head of Spirits, Grace Nshemeire-Gwaku, invited Kenyans to take advantage of the catalogue in appreciating their friends, colleagues, mentors and families of legal drinking age this festive season.

“Johnny Walker is a must-stock whisky for Christmas, New Years and beyond, and our range of Johnny Walker Blended Whisky caters to every palate,” explained Ms. Nshemeire-Gwaku.

“Johnnie Walker is your ultimate whisky choice this festive period within Christmas, New Year and other occasions, and our range of Johnnie Walker Blended Whisky caters to every preference or palate,” explained Ms. Nshemeire-Gwaku

At a time when Kenya has been voted the most generous country in Africa, according to the World Giving Index, KBL, through Diageo, has collaborated with London-based designer, Richard Malone, to design Johnnie Walker bespoke gift pack range.

“The limited-edition packs have been created for the brand’s core range, from Johnnie Walker Red Label to Johnnie Walker Blue Label and they are undeniably eclectic in style, Malone’s aesthetic is a mix of energetic colors and asymmetrical patterns,” said Ms. Nshemeire-Gwaku.

The London-based designer, who was commissioned in 2017 by New York’s Museum of Modern Art to create a custom piece for its first fashion exhibition in 70 years, has created his Johnnie Walker designs with a focus on bold, undulating and multi-dimensional graphics and optical illusions that play with people’s sense of awareness.

His creative process is influenced both by his working-class upbringing and his personal desire to push boundaries with his art.

Richard Malone said: “Johnnie Walker is made to be enjoyed with the ones you love. Throughout this project I’ve learned so much about the incredible skill and effort required to craft each bottle, from the production process to the sensation of each flavor, and the rich history of the artisans creating each batch. That’s especially where I’ve seen the crossover with my own practice and love for creation.

“I hope the pack is striking, exciting, and representative of something that is forward thinking, inclusive, vibrant and optimistic. I think we all need that now, a gift that is uplifting.”

Johnnie Walker Master Blender Jim Beveridge added: “We make whisky in the belief that it should be shared with the people who matter most on the journey you make together. An important part of that outlook involves helping to create memorable moments when people raise a glass to celebrate the good times ahead.

“Richard’s wonderful imagination and exceptional eye for detail are obvious to anyone who has seen his work and he was able to capture the very nature of our whiskies, with incredible designs that bring their flavours and character to life in a really remarkable way.”