The World Is Law Roach’s Runway with Johnnie Walker’s Black Ruby
Did you know that Law Roach used to be a bartender? Me neither. Yes, we are talking about the Law Roach: stylist, visual architect and genius behind every Zendaya outfit that leaves us gagged time and time again.
When the Law Roach gets approached by Johnnie Walker for a campaign, he doesn’t only walk, he werks the runway. This cheeky new campaign highlights the bold and sweet new flavour profile of the whisky brand’s new Black Ruby, while showing a variety of different cocktails and flavour combinations. Law showcases all of them while strutting through the campaign, making the world his runway.
The Magic Behind the Scenes
Nina Aaldering knows all about it. The renowned Dutch director is recognised for her distinctive visuals, cinematic set design, and detailed world-building.
Every shot counts for Nina, like a portrait speaking for itself. “It is staged on purpose. All the colours are thought out, and the movements are rehearsed.” It not only takes a village to create a striking campaign like this, it takes a crew, meticulously selected to make the magic. Nina says, “As a director, your job is to create the right team around you, help your vision come to life.”
Nina and director of photography Tobias Bickle were on the same page when it came to creating that striking look for the campaign. She says, “We wanted the smooth cinematography to feel both bold and intimate. The camera moves with Law, almost like a dance: sometimes smooth and floating, sometimes close and candid.”
Law Knows How To Werk the Runway
Law Roach was very involved in the project from the get-go. After Nina won the pitch, Law and his team hopped on a call with the team to plan the shoot. “We spoke about how I envisioned his behaviour and how I wanted to bring the concept to life.”
Nina adds, “For this film, Law styled himself, but he constantly checked in with me, the creative director, and the client to make sure every look reflected the right feeling and connected to each specific cocktail. He wasn’t just the narrator of the commercial – he was also very much the stylist, shaping the visual language of the film together with us."
Another secret ingredient to a successful shoot is simply having fun,” Nina says. “The atmosphere on set was amazing – we laughed a lot with Law and the whole crew. I also gave Law the freedom to play within the creative world we built for him in each film, and I think that sense of joy and freedom really comes across on screen.”
For Nina, it was essential to give the audience the feeling of attending a runway. “From the beginning, the concept was about Law walking the runway, with the garnishes of the new cocktails matching his outfit creations. But I believe the runway doesn’t have to be literal. It can be anywhere. A runway is not just a physical space; it’s a way of living, an attitude.”
Law Roach was a crucial part of creating the various cocktails displayed in the campaign. Johnnie Walker brand ambassador Tim Philips-Johansson says, “Every single drink we would give Law played directly into our advantage with his expertise in style. Because when you were able to collaborate with a beautiful blender of fashion pieces, and were able to create some inquisitive and enchanting and beautiful ways of combining not just, not just the ingredients within the drinks, but the garnishes around the drinks.”
Every Drink Dressed by The Gods
Law’s styling directly mirrors the styling of the cocktails in the campaign.
Nina worked closely with the creative team from GUT, with Law, and with Johnnie Walker, as well as their cocktail stylist Tara Garnell, to create the right looks for both the cocktails and for Law. They worked tirelessly to ensure every cocktail looked flawless, at an almost machine-like pace.
A ruby background, combined with soft pink and yellow accents. Or an orange paired with ruby and gold details. All that is not a coincidence but a result of the thoughtful construction of the colour palette. Nina says, “I wanted the film to breathe Johnnie Walker Ruby in every detail. I see colour palettes and textures almost as characters in the story, each adding depth and personality. For me, every shot should feel deliberate and carefully chosen, carrying that Ruby energy – that world where Law moves through it flawlessly.
“The use of the colour ruby was obviously important. The question was how to incorporate ruby without exaggerating it.” Nina says: “I actually think the client was quite brave on that by putting Ruby in, but not going over the top. So you feel the overall vibe.”
No Beat, No Runway – Making the Music
Nina knows that every good strut needs a beat to begin with. “The music is a big part of the film,” she says with a big smile. The soundtrack had to drive the energy and attitude, so much was clear. She went for a vogue/ballroom-inspired track to give the film a bold and classy feeling that connects with the identity of Law. Working closely with music supervisor Rachel Tauwnaar, she found the perfect match in Zebra Katz’s ‘IN IN IN’. “The moment I heard it, I knew this was the beat we needed,” she says. Together with editor Rigel Kilston, they used the track as the backbone of the cut, shaping the rhythm and giving the film its true runway pace with attitude.
A New Era for Scotch
Johnnie Walker brand ambassador Tim Philips-Johansson knows his whisky like the back of his hand. For him, the new Black Ruby is a unique flavour profile. He describes it as the "richer and sweeter and prettier side of Johnnie Walker Black Label," but without being overly sweet. This is achieved through natural maturation processes and the use of sherry and red wine casks, which impart a rich, Christmas cake-like sweetness and a unique tannic grip.
Johnnie Walker has always believed in the power of progress. The brand's timeless mantra, 'Keep Walking', is a testament to its commitment to evolving with the times and pushing beyond the traditional boundaries of the whisky world. This philosophy extends to its products, and the new Black Ruby is a perfect example of this.
"Scotch is for everyone," Tim says, explaining the brand's mission to break down barriers. "We purposefully were trying to create drinks that weren't steeped in this heavy kind of stereotype of Scotch cocktails."
For years, the category has been known for being exclusive and intimidating. But as Tim explains, "The Johnnie Walker Black Label collection... was a way of us expanding that family by exploring those individual segments of flavour as far as we can take them... but still having the soul of Johnnie Walker Black Label." The Black Ruby is a continuation of this journey, a "way of us exploring all of those inherent fruit flavours and sweeter, rich character that we know from Johnnie Walker Black Label" to appeal to a new generation of drinkers.
Ultimately, this campaign is part of Johnnie Walker's larger mission to open up the world of Scotch to all. By collaborating with cultural figures like Law Roach, they are bridging the gap between tradition and modernity. "We want Scotch to become a lot more relevant in the world of cocktails, and especially for new generations of people choosing to drink," Tim concludes.
Read more from LBB's Aysun Bora here.
Read more Behind the Work here.
