QATAR. Qatar Duty Free has collaborated with Puig to launch the brand’s largest activation to date, at Hamad International Airport. The space is diagonally split into two sections featuring ‘Pacomarket’ by Paco Rabanne and ‘Hotel Carolina’ by Carolina Herrera, two of the group’s leading brands.
Located behind the Lamp Bear in the heart of the airport, the 180sq m podium houses a full profile of fragrances from each brand.
Qatar Duty Free has amplified the retail activation with a media campaign that immerses passengers in the brand experience before they reach the podium. Features include key cards at the Airport Hotel customised with the ‘Hotel Carolina’ theme, shopping trolleys sporting a barcode that plays on the ‘Pacomarket’ theme and Carolina Herrera and Paco Rabanne ads playing on digital screens in the retail plaza.
These, said Qatar Duty Free, “create intrigue around the activation and entice visitors to the podium to experience these brand concepts”.
‘Hotel Carolina’ is modelled on a hotel theme, and comes with a bellboy, a concierge, a check-in desk and customised passports. There is also a selfie corner, fragrance bars, a hand massage station and a gifting area where customers can personalise their purchases.
‘Hotel Carolina’ exhibits Carolina Herrera’s Private Collection, a fragrances collection exclusive to the Middle East at the museum section of the podium. Key products include Sandal Ruby and Platinum Leather as well as fragrance oils and a selection of masculine and feminine lines at the fragrance bar.
The ‘Pacomarket’ offers an interactive experience in which customers can play and do their shopping as if they were in a supermarket. It features a game, a vending machine and more, with Paco Rabanne lines such as Million Lucky, Lady Million, Invictus Legend and Olympéa Legend.
Qatar Duty Free Senior Vice President Bruce Bowman said: “We are delighted to partner with Puig to provide customers travelling through HIA with an experience that takes them on a unique journey of discovery.
“The split podium is a playful concept that shows the personality of each brand through contrasting themes, gifting opportunities, exciting games and numerous Instagram-worthy spots. We look forward to welcoming our customers to ‘Hotel Carolina’ and ‘Pacomarket’ and to more exciting collaborations with our brand partners in the future.”
Puig Global Travel Retail Vice President Antoine Lafourcade said: “Qatar Duty Free’s unmissable activation space behind the Lamp Bear provides us with the ideal platform to showcase two of our most popular brands to the millions of global travellers passing through Hamad International Airport this autumn. Our consumer-first mindset, together with the expertise and backing of Qatar Duty Free, makes for a world-class activation which travellers will be inspired by.”
