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The Dewar’s World of Discovery campaign begins this month and runs at key airports worldwide |
ASIA PACIFIC. Bacardi Global Travel Retail Division launched a series of new special editions and promotions at the recent TFWA Asia Pacific show in Singapore. The moves come as the division’s key brands continue to perform strongly in Asia Pacific travel retail, according to the brand owner.
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Baron Otard Cognac Fortis et Fidelis: the latest addition to the Cognac house’s top-end range |
Among the highlights was the unveiling of a new Dewar’s campaign in partnership with National Geographic. The Dewar’s World of Discovery campaign begins this month and will run at selected airports worldwide. The promotion gives consumers the chance to win an expedition to any of a series of adventure destinations, including Costa Rica and the Panama Canal, New York City, New Zealand, Italy or the Highlands of Scotland.
The campaign celebrates Tommy Dewar’s travels in the late 19th century when he visited 26 countries in two years, introducing customers to Dewar’s Scotch whisky.
The two-month campaign begins in Asia Pacific (in Hong Kong and Malaysia initially) and the Middle East, with high-profile activations and tastings where allowed.
Aude Rocourt, outgoing Travel Retail Regional Director for Asia Pacific [she will head up European travel retail from 1 July – Ed], said: “This is a very interactive campaign, one that builds on the history of Dewar’s. With the travel angle, it fits on the travel retail platform very well. We’ve been placing a lot of investment behind Dewar’s a brand that grew by +40% last year.”
Another key focus for the group is the Bacardi Together campaign, carrying a new visual identity and advertising programme for Bacardi rum, and which began running in Asia Pacific travel retail from May. The campaign, which began last year in the US, embraces the digital platform and will be seen at key airport locations at it is rolled out.
Another programme that covers the Bacardi portfolio is the “˜World’s Best Tasting Cocktails’ campaign, which will run in Asia Pacific through 2011. It showcases the Bombay Sapphire Collins, the Grey Goose Cosmopolitan and the Bacardi Mojito, with the cocktail range also adapted to particular markets.
Rocourt said: “We believe we need to lead the white spirits category as market leader, and taking a portfolio approach does that. It began with DFS and rolls out to other partners, mainly at the key regional airports plus holiday locations. To date the conversion rates have been amazing wherever consumers have interacted with it. Over 50% of those who have sampled have also bought.
“We’ve also found that the portfolio has performed better than a single-brand promotion by all measures and ratings. So it’s clear there is no dilution of the impact of individual brands.”
Also new in Asia Pacific is the Bacardi ready to serve (RTS) range, described by the company as “a new category in travel retail”. The range includes the Mojito, which was launched previously in Europe and the Americas, plus the Daiquiri and the Pina Colada (both launched globally in May), mixed and packaged for convenience purchases.
It targets younger adult Asians and is expected to be popular in the southern part of the region as well as in Australia and New Zealand.
The other key launches from the group include Baron Otard Cognac Fortis et Fidelis, said to house a blend of some of the oldest and rarest eaux-de-vie from Otard. It is presented in a crystal carafe handcrafted in France by leading crystal maker Saint-Louis. It was made available first in Hong Kong, followed by China, Taiwan and Korea. It retails at US$5,000.
Finally, from the hugely successful Bénédictine liqueur brand comes an Asia Pacific travel retail exclusive one-litre tin. Some US$5 from each sale will be donated to industry charity Hand in Hand for Haiti, and the item was developed in partnership with DFS.
Rocourt summed up: “The past year has been outstanding and has seen growth above our expectations. Our biggest investments were in Grey Goose, which saw volumes climb by +55% last year, plus Dewar’s, with +40% growth. That was from a small base on Dewar’s compared to its major competitors, but it’s still very positive.
“The challenge now is to continue that momentum, and maintain our status as the category leader in white spirits in particular. China is a challenge too. There are more and more consumers travelling from the Mainland and we need to adapt to their increasingly sophisticated, edgy tastes. We need to take a premium approach to everything we do.”
As noted, Rocourt is leaving the Asia Pacific business to lead the brand owner’s travel retail drive in Europe, and will be replaced by Paul Francis. In her four years managing the Asia Pacific travel retail operation, Bacardi volumes across all brands have climbed by +17%.
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New to travel retail: the latest in the Bacardi RTS (left) range and the Bénédictine 1-litre tin (right) |
