How does a heritage icon earn relevance in one of the world’s fastest-shifting luxury markets?
Diageo needed to define the right positioning for Johnnie Walker XR in China—distinct from competitors, culturally attuned, but true to the brand’s prestige.
The challenge: embrace modern values without diluting legacy.
Quantifying Brand Desire, from the Inside Out
We analysed 35,000 consumer posts on XiaohongShu—the heart of modern aspiration in China—to map how luxury lovers talk about whisky.
Using our topic discovery engine, we transformed unstructured conversation into structured insight. That meant identifying:
From broad themes like “liquid appreciation” to fine details like “flora and creamy" or “smoky and peatiness,” our strategists controlled the level of zoom—translating cultural nuance into brand positioning directions.
We surfaced 7 defining emotional and functional attributes that shape how luxury spirits are perceived in China today.
More importantly, we mapped where the brand already has equity—and where it must grow. These insights fed into a clear action framework, tuning positioning opportunities into practical brand-building jobs to be done.
A roadmap for XR to lead the category not just through prestige, but through cultural fluency.
Iconic brands shape—and are shaped by—shifts in culture.
Want to find the signals that matter? Let’s talk.
