Leading cruise retailer Harding+ has partnered with Cotswolds Distillery to feature the brand owner’s range of single malt whiskies and gins exclusively with P&O Cruises.
By the end of the year, the UK-produced spirits will feature on all ten Carnival-owned P&O and Cunard ships, where Harding+ is the retailer.
According to the partners, initial promotions on P&O’s Britannia and Iona cruise ships have resulted in substantial onboard sales. They said that bar takeovers, tasting events and specialist promotions have helped Cotswolds whisky become the number one liquor brand sold on Britannia.
The promotions have included a mix of high-footfall and more intimate one-to-one brand tasting events. High-visibility POS and pop-up displays include free-standing units and a branded Cotswolds style Land Rover while ‘vapour bubble guns’ have topped off drinks with gin-flavoured bubbles.
Whisky masterclasses have also featured along with a bespoke ‘grain to glass’ distillery tour promotion for every two bottles purchased on board.
As reported, Harding revealed a strategic rebrand as Harding+ to coincide with the TFWA World Exhibition in Cannes earlier this month. The company said the fresh look and branding reflects its “business and cultural transformation”.
Harding+ Chief Commercial Officer Matthew Hodges said: “We know from the customer data and insights that we have invested in heavily over the last few years just what ticks the box for our partner cruise guests when it comes to joined up, original and interactive brand experiences.
“Our mission is to ‘make every cruise better’, and working with brand partners who embrace the same goals, love of theatre and commitment to creating joined up and linked touchpoints on board is hugely rewarding for all parties.”
Hodges added that the ‘quaternity model’, which unites cruise partners, brands, guest perspectives and the retailer’s marketing expertise, leads to well-targeted commercial success.
“The award-winning drinks that Cotswolds Distillery produce are exactly what discerning guests with time to invest in a new product are looking for, and by blending the onboard experience with a story that can continue back on land with a value for money live distillery experience, it means brand loyalty can become a long-term end outcome from our cruise start point,” he said.
“We are also delighted that that this British-distilled product employs smartly sustainable actions in their process, using the water left over from the distilling process for example to water the land. A core part of our Harding+ business mission is to champion sustainability at all touchpoints of both our own business and our partner supply chain.”
Cotswolds Distillery International Sales and Global Travel Retail Director Lynsey Eades added: “Here at Cotswolds Distillery, we are excited to have launched into the Cruise sector in partnership with Harding+.
“The Cotswolds Distillery interactive and sensorial experiences, as well as launching our new innovative and premium products on board, offer the guests new and engaging reasons to purchase outstanding gin and whisky.
“The Harding+ team have been critical in educating passengers about Cotswolds Distillery and we are proud to work with such talented brand ambassadors. It has been, and will continue to be, a pleasure to work with the entire Harding+ team,” Eades concluded.
