An iconic film for Johnnie Walker Scotch whisky—featuring the longest tracking shot in advertising history—has scooped a prestigious Cannes Lions Gold medal to add to its already impressive haul of accolades. The Man Who Walked Around the World, featuring BAFTA-award winning Scottish actor Robert Carlyle, tells the fascinating story of Johnnie Walker, the world’s best selling Scotch whisky—from John Walker opening a grocer’s shop at 14 years old when his father died, to creating the first blended Scotch whisky to satisfy his customers’ demands, to the Walker family spotting the opportunity to export Johnnie Walker by persuading ship captains to act as sales merchants on their travels abroad.

The film is beautifully shot on location in the rugged Scottish landscape of Loch Doyne, highlighting the origins of both Johnnie Walker whisky and Robert Carlyle, himself a native of Glasgow. Ever the consummate professional, the film was shot in one continuous take with Carlyle delivering a word-perfect performance to bring the brand’s story to life in a truly engaging manner. The six-minute film has been viewed by over half a million consumers around the world via You Tube and has received universal praise from consumers and industry figures alike.

David Gates, Global brand director for Johnnie Walker, comments: “We are absolutely delighted with this award—it’s great international recognition for a film that we felt was truly special even as we were making it. Working with Robert was inspirational and the film conveys the Johnnie Walker story in a way that exceeded our extremely high expectations. Judging by the views and comments on sites like You Tube, it is clear that it has struck a chord with consumers around the world.”

“In order to convey the relentless spirit of the man who created arguably the world’s first global brand, we decided to create the longest tracking shot in advertising history,” says Nick Gill, Executive Creative Director at BBH London. “The film was deliberately constructed to make it impossible to hide any invisible cuts. Risky stuff. We also decided very early on that only Robert Carlyle had the skill and charisma to tell this story. As the light failed on the second day of shooting, with only one half useable takes in the can, the incredible Mr. Carlyle nailed it on his 40th and last attempt.”

Robert Carlyle has also taken part in Johnnie Walker’s “Walk With Giants” campaign, which shares the stories of progress of some of the world’s most inspirational men. His podcast and video gives his most revealing interview yet, communicating the full extent of his challenging upbringing and how he overcame adversity to become one of Britain’s most successful actors. The interview is available to view on www.johnniewalker.com

The Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival—inspired by the Cannes Film Festival—is the world's biggest celebration of creativity in communications. As the most prestigious international advertising awards, more than 22,500 entries from all over the world are showcased and judged at the Festival.