Johnnie Walker uses AI to design 50,000 unique bottles
Visitors to Dubai Duty Free can pick up one of 50,000 uniquely AI-designed bottles of Johnnie Walker Black Label as part of its ‘1 of 1’ campaign.
Exclusive to Dubai Duty Free, the campaign uses AI powered by Diageo’s Project Halo – a technology created by the firm’s Breakthrough Innovation team.
Through a combination of algorithmic design technology and generative AI, Halo has designed 50,000 one-of-a-kind bottle illustrations for Johnnie Walker’s Black Label whisky.
The concept gives shoppers in Dubai a personalised buying experience. Diageo has noted that consumers are increasingly demanding exclusive products in travel retail.
Andrew Cowan, managing director of Diageo global travel, explained: “Exclusivity matters to travel retail shoppers, where they are increasingly looking for something they can’t get anywhere else.
“By enabling consumers to purchase a one-of-a-kind, locally inspired bottle, Johnnie Walker is aiming to excite and inspire new and existing whisky drinkers passing through Dubai.
“We are delighted to be partnering with Dubai Duty Free to offer travellers this unique Scotch experience.”
Diageo says Dubai is the ‘perfect city’ to launch the concept, for its status as a hub of international travel.
The launch is described as the ‘largest production of digital print designs using Halo technology that Diageo has produced to date’.
Diageo established a Breakthrough Innovation team in January 2024 to move innovation beyond product development. The team’s Halo technology allows consumers to create bespoke designs on Diageo products.
The technology can also be found at Johnnie Walker’s brand home in Edinburgh on Princess Street, where visitors can personalise their own label designs and product artwork.
Diageo showcased the technology at its travel retail presentation at this year’s TFWA World Exhibition & Conference in Cannes, where the company demonstrated how to meet evolving consumer trends in the sector.
At the conference, Diageo also held a panel addressing the future of global travel retail.
Personalisation a ‘major motivator’ in travel retail
Benni Lickfett, global director of breakthrough innovation at Diageo, said: “The Johnnie Walker Black Label ‘1 of 1’ campaign is the latest milestone in leveraging our own Project Halo Gen AI model to unlock premium personalisation of our brands at scale.
“We know personalisation is a major motivator for travel retail shoppers, so we are excited to deploy our technology at scale for this exclusive launch, building upon the learnings we have taken from our previous pilot projects.”
The 50,000 bottles will be available over 12 months in two parts. Part one is the ‘City of Lights’, which celebrates Dubai’s nighttime scene, while the second part is the ‘City of Sun’, celebrating Dubai’s daytime and golden sun.
The campaign will be supported through activations such as a pop-up in Dubai Duty Free at Dubai Airport Terminal 3.
The Black Label designs are available at any duty free store in Dubai Airport, as well as DubaiDutyFree.com.
Senior vice-president for purchasing from Dubai Duty Free, Sharon Beecham, added: “Dubai is known around the world as a global travel hub and this new campaign from Johnnie Walker marries the iconic scenes of Dubai with consumers’ demand for something unique and special.
“The ‘1 of 1’ campaign by Johnnie Walker offers Dubai Duty Free shoppers something truly personal, with an imprint of this memorable city.”
Last month, Johnnie Walker also unveiled the latest chapter of its global ‘Keep Walking’ campaign.
Meanwhile, over the summer, the world’s biggest-selling Scotch made waves by announcing a global partnership with singer Sabrina Carpenter.
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