INTERNATIONAL. The Moodie Davitt Report is delighted to reveal the winners of The Moodies, travel retail’s only dedicated social & digital media awards.
The prestigious annual awards, now in their 12th year, recognise the most impactful, innovative and engaging social and digital initiatives from travel retail sector stakeholders.
The winners were drawn from a shortlist across multiple categories. Entries were assessed by an esteemed panel of industry experts (see below) based on clear objectives, creative execution and tangible, demonstrable results.
Martin Moodie, Founder & Chairman of The Moodie Davitt Report and creator of The Moodies, said: “The delayed announcement of The Moodies due to our company’s sad recent personal circumstances only made the anticipation higher. The thrilling roll call of ideation, imagination and innovation that we present today surely makes the wait worthwhile.
“There are so many exhilirating examples here of both single platform or multi-dimensional digital media excellence, collectively representing a rich tapestry of distinction that underlines the tremendous progress our industry has made over recent years.
“I wish to express my profound thanks to fellow judges Canny Kwok, Peter Doherty and Véronique Demers for their outstandingly thoughtful judging. Their keen evaluations and insightful analysis deliver tremendous substance and validation to this year’s results.” ✈
The Moodies 2025 – Roll Call of Honour
1. Best Airport Digital Advertising Campaign
Winner: Are You Ready to Bubble? – Bahrain Duty Free
Nominee’s comments:
Our marketing initiatives, exemplified by the ‘Are You Ready to Bubble?’ campaign, aim to deliver memorable experiences beyond traditional retail. Travellers today seek joy, discovery and connection. By combining creativity with innovation and a digitally integrated system, we aim to ensure seamless interactions, real-time rewards, and deeper engagement, positioning Bahrain Duty Free as a global leader.
What the judges said:
- The ‘Are You Ready to Bubble? campaign by Bahrain Duty Free stands out for seamlessly intertwining joy and discovery into the shopping experience, transforming transactional moments into memorable, interactive adventures. By gamifying purchases with eye-catching bubblegum machines and integrating them into a smart digital ecosystem, the initiative sparked delight, boosted engagement, and drew record participation. This bold experiential approach not only elevated the airport retail environment but also delivered tangible results, driving a +13% increase in sales year-on-year.
- Playful and creative campaign blending physical engagement with digital integration. The gamified bubblegum machines cleverly merge local craftsmanship, influencer amplification and real-time digital tracking. Strong results (+13% sales, +9% penetration) show clear effectiveness. The experiential design creates memorability and emotional connection. It’s playful, impactful… and works!
2. Best Digital Campaign – Airports/Brands/Retailers
Winner (Retailer): Dubai Duty Free x Fix Dessert Chocolatier – Dubai Duty Free
Nominee’s comments:
FIX x Dubai Duty Free turned a viral Dubai chocolate into an international sensation. Through close collaboration, creative storytelling and immersive retail experiences, the campaign blended culture, buzz and commercial success – driving record sales, social engagement and elevating Dubai Duty Free as a launchpad for homegrown brands and experiences.
What the judges said:
- Very rich storytelling and enticing video asset. Well done on creating a global hit and keeping on riding this wave.
- A campaign as tasty as its chocolate, Dubai Duty Free x FIX served up a viral hit that turned cravings into conversions – moving over half a million bars and redefining what sweet success looks like in travel retail.
- Astonishing results speak to the richness of the storytelling (and the chocolate!). The kind of ‘hit song’ the travel retail channel so needs and yet so seldom delivers.
- Wow. Over 2.8 million organic views with 100k engagements plus organic buzz and long queues at the pop-up. From 21 December 2024 until 31 July 2025 an extraordinary 564,911 FIX bars were sold.
Winner (Brand): Lancôme Génifique Travellers’ Repair Clinic – Lancôme Travel Retail Asia Pacific
Nominee’s comments:
Lancôme Travel Retail Asia Pacific revolutionised digital innovation in travel retail with the launch of Génifique Ultimate Travellers’ Repair Clinic.
Armed with AI-powered personalisation, innovative O2O, and impactful never-seen-before takeovers, Lancôme launched the first Pentarchy 360 collaboration in Changi, contributing to +102% growth in Genifique, elevating Lancôme to #1 in Skincare and setting new benchmarks for the entire industry.
What the judges said:
- Excellent domination of the airport’s physical and digital space with this campaign. The AI component is sure to trigger curiosity from passengers.
- Lancôme’s Génifique Ultimate campaign delivered a masterclass in omnichannel execution – seamlessly blending physical spectacle with digital precision across every touchpoint. From AI-powered consultations to influencer-driven buzz, it turned Changi Airport into a fully integrated beauty experience.
- The entry suggests this campaign represents an unparalleled masterclass in digital excellence. On this enthralling evidence, it would be hard to argue otherwise. An airport reimagined as a grand brand theatre. Bravo.
Winner (Airport/Retailer/Brand/OOH Media Collaboration): Extime Immersive Journey – Groupe ADP/Extime
Nominee’s comments:
The Extime Immersive Journey transforms the airport into a living stage. In partnership with Sol de Janeiro, Extime delivered a groundbreaking 360° campaign that captivated travellers at every touchpoint, from digital (Extime JCDecaux Airport) to retail, from pre-travel to gate. A multisensory, phygital experience that connects, inspires and drives both engagement and conversion.
What the judges said:
- A very well thought-out and designed campaign. The video work is extremely stimulating. Good online/offline integration in its communication. Well done.
- A joyfully immersive campaign that infused every touchpoint with a bold, feel-good spirit, creating an inescapable campaign.
- I loved the campaign’s mission to turn the airport into a living stage. And it delivered triumphantly on that premise, embracing OOH media expertly to underpin a comprehensive phygital approach. Fun too, befitting the personality of the brand.
3. Best Use of Data Analytics and/or CRM
Winner: Enriched Data, Enriched Journeys – Club Avolta
Nominee’s comments:
Club Avolta’s CRM-driven data enrichment strategy has enhanced decision-making and customer experience in travel retail by capturing member insights through profile updates, travel polls, and seasonal planning. These initiatives enabled smarter segmentation, personalised offers and increased engagement.
What the judges said:
- A standout entry in this year’s Moodies for its vision, coherence, reach and brilliance of execution. For so long, too much decision-making in travel retail has been made if not in the dark then certainly in the commercial and consumer twilight.
- The entry’s title – Enriched Data, Enriched Journeys – sums it up neatly. Club Avolta’s CRM-driven data enrichment strategy delivers multiple benefits to both retailer and the end consumer. It tackles many of the perennial challenges of travel retail – driving footfall and engagement early; building loyalty through insights and acute consumer segmentation; increasing differentiation through personalised offers and much more.
4. Digital Disrupter of the Year
Joint winner: Club Avolta – Avolta
Nominee’s comments:
Club Avolta is an industry-first loyalty programme that seamlessly integrates food & beverage, duty free and convenience retail. A meticulously planned global launch took place on 1 October 2024 through 2025 with a new app, website, social channels and in-store branding implemented across 70 countries.
What the judges said:
- Club Avolta’s extensive global integration across multiple travel retail formats sets a new benchmark for customer engagement. The scale and customisation of the programme reflect strong strategic vision and execution. The emphasis on valuable rewards and partner collaborations effectively drives loyalty and enhances the traveller journey.
- An industry-first omnichannel loyalty ecosystem integrating F&B, duty free and convenience retail globally. App, website and in-store systems launched simultaneously across 70+ countries. Data-driven personalisation and cross-partner integration (e.g. airlines, hotels). Sets a new benchmark in travel retail digitalisation.
Joint Winner: Voiceback Dynamic Promotion Engine – VoicebackAnalytics
Nominee’s comments:
Voiceback’s Dynamic Promotion Engine is transforming duty-free retail by replacing generic discounts with AI-personalised offers. Built on Microsoft Azure, it delivers real-time engagement, boosts conversions and enhances customer loyalty – setting a new benchmark for intelligent, scalable and sustainable retail innovation in high-footfall airport environments.
What the judges said:
- Pioneering. Personalises duty-free offers in real time. Strong data integration (passport, purchase history), real-time optimisation and measurable conversion impact. True disruption in digital retail operations – scalable, sustainable and insight-rich.
- The use of AI to deliver real-time, personalised promotions represents a significant leap forward in duty-free retail innovation.
- The combination of QR-code simplicity with deep data insights creates a seamless and engaging customer experience. Balancing advanced technology with sustainability and clear business results is particularly commendable.
5. Best Digitally-led Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Campaign
Winner: Mangrove to Ocean – KOSÉ Travel Retail
Nominee’s comments:
KOSÉ Travel Retail elevated the ‘SEKKISEI SAVE the BLUE’ project to the next level through two impactful conservation programmess in Hainan and Okinawa.
By combining a mangrove-tree-planting initiative in Hainan, China, with multiple ocean conservation efforts in Okinawa, Japan, KOSÉ demonstrated its strong global commitment to environmental protection.
What the judges said:
- A clear, purpose-driven ESG narrative that uses digital activations (social sharing, gamified engagement, online amplification) to connect participants and travellers with conservation initiatives. Strong educational and community-building aspects with visible local impact. Digital touchpoints are simple but effective in promoting environmental action.
- KOSÉ Travel Retail’s ‘Mangrove to Ocean’ campaign is a standout ESG initiative that delivered meaningful environmental impact through hands-on conservation efforts across Hainan and Okinawa. Engaging over 400 participants through tree planting, coral education and immersive hotel activations, the campaign exemplifies how brand-led sustainability can foster real community involvement.
- With a thoughtful mix of education, action and sales-linked contributions, this initiative showcases KOSÉ’s deep commitment to ecological protection on a global scale.
6. Best Influencer/KOL-led Campaign
Winner (Retailer): Club Avolta x Florence by Mills – Avolta
Nominee’s comments:
A standout travel retail-exclusive influencer campaign that fused celebrity power with Gen Z relevance. Club Avolta’s partnership with Florence by Mills and Millie Bobby Brown delivered record-breaking reach and engagement, redefining how travel retail connects with younger audiences through the power of social media.
What the judges said:
- Incredible success in terms of reach and impression on a very low budget. Great collaboration between brand, operator and influencers.
- Exceptionally strategic influencer execution, leveraging a global celebrity’s massive reach through unpaid collab posts. Perfect Gen Z alignment, outstanding results. Authentic, aspirational, and commercial at once.
Winner (Brand): A sensorial trip to Kyoto – fresh
Nominee’s comments:
fresh engaged top-tier KOLs for a bespoke five-sensory tea journey to Kyoto, inspired by the iconic Kombucha Facial Treatment Essence and Black Tea Collection, to craft travel content rich in tea culture, resonating with our consumers’ lifestyle and social behavior. It successfully cultivated brand love and forged a heartfelt bond with consumers.
What the judges said:
- Very well thought-out campaign, with strong coherence between product, influencers, location chosen etc. And sales/engagement results to match.
- High-end influencer immersion beautifully aligned with brand philosophy. Strong cultural storytelling and emotional resonance. Excellent engagement. Slightly traditional luxury-beauty KOL format, but perfectly executed with depth and authenticity.
5. Best Omnichannel Campaign
Winner (Airport): Brisbane Airport Omnichannel Campaign
{Note: Brisbane Airport Media & Corporate Communications Manager Peter Doherty, a judge in The Moodies, was not involved in this assessment}
Nominee’s comments:
Brisbane Airport’s omnichannel strategy delivers a unified, data-driven customer experience across parking, retail and travel services. AI-powered automation and cross-channel targeting drive personalisation, engagement and loyalty. With scalable infrastructure and new channels launching, it’s a high-performing ecosystem built for growth, partner value and deep customer journey understanding.
What the judges said:
- Great orchestration of automation, segmentation, cross-sell and lifecycle programmes. Real revenue attribution, SMS + email + paid social layering, and behaviour-based flows are textbook omnichannel excellence. Deep understanding of customer journeys and scalable infrastructure.
- A very strong and effective communication campaign for departing travellers. However there could be a stronger offer in-store to drive more synergies.
- In an industry dominated by silos, I love the cross-sell breaking down of commercial boundaries here to outstanding effect. A classic case study for our industry to learn from.
Joint Winner (Brand): Cadbury 200th Anniversary – Mondelez World Travel Retail
Nominee’s comments:
To commemorate Cadbury’s 200th anniversary, Mondelez World Travel Retail set out to create a campaign that would make travellers feel part of the Cadbury legacy. Giving shoppers a unique reason to purchase, the objectives were clear: deliver memorable, exclusive experiences that would boost category spend, brand conversion and shopper engagement in travel retail while showcasing Cadbury’s enduring values of generosity.
What the judges said:
- A very comprehensive campaign with exciting exclusive product, in-store displays, animations and use of digital tools to create a happy occasion for clients. Well done.
- A strong before/during/after journey executed across social paid, loyalty platforms, QR participation, microsites, in-store screens, and prizes. Heavy traveller engagement, major sales. Very good phygital linkage.
Joint Winner (Brand): Lancôme Génifique Ultimate Travellers’ Repair Clinic – Lancôme Travel Retail Asia Pacific
Nominee’s comments:
Lancôme Travel Retail Asia Pacific revolutionises the travellers’ omniretail experience with the first 360 Pentarchy collaboration with Shilla & Changi Airport.
A worldwide exclusive concept, Génifique Ultimate Travellers’ Repair Clinic celebrated the new launch of Génifique Ultimate in APAC TR through harnessing innovative AI solutions to set new standards in skincare and beauty innovation.
What the judges said:
- Appears to integrate ecommerce CTAs, digital banners, travel CRM pushes and in-store consultation-driven conversion with bundled gifting.
- A very impressive promotion at Changi that ticks all the boxes: exclusive, desirable product, 360 communication, top notch in-store service with exclusive client consultation. Congratulations.
- Spell it backwards or forwards this says WOW. Move over the Trinity, this is a pentarchy collaboration on a grand scale. The vision and courage underpinning this campaign are hugely impressive. One of the true stand-outs of The Moodies this year.
Winner (Retailer): Extime Immersive Journey – Lagardère Travel Retail/Groupe ADP/Extime
Nominee’s comments:
- The Extime Immersive Journey transforms the airport into a living stage. In partnership with Sol de Janeiro, Extime delivered a groundbreaking 360° campaign that captivated travellers at every touchpoint, from digital to retail, from pre-travel to gate. A multisensory, phygital experience that connects, inspires and drives both engagement and conversion.
What the judges said:
- Phygital done right, airport-wide DOOH, loyalty offers, click & collect, immersive mirrors, CRM pushes, social storytelling, and retail takeover… plus conversion benchmarks. This is highly future-oriented omnichannel thinking with journey-wide orchestration.
- Great domination of all channels at the airport (digital, OOH, in-store etc) and a very good product to promote at that time. The loyalty component is also appreciated in order to keep the clients repurchasing regularly.
Highly commended (Retailer): Whisky Social Club – Avolta
Nominee’s comments:
Avolta’s Whisky Social Club delivered a holistic, omnichannel traveller experience – from tasting bars and masterclasses to digital engagement – driving +47% in-store sales and 5x social interactions. Together with brand partners, it inspired travellers, deepened loyalty, and proved the commercial power of seamless activation across channels.
What the judges said:
- Very good video presentation of the club. This is a very interesting initiative allowing Avolta to capitalise on all their brands and points of sales, and a great way to create loyalty among their clients. The personalised services are also to be commended.
- Community-based journey across 15 airports with tasting bars, masterclasses, engraving, portable tray bars, contests, and cross-category moments with Lindt and Walkers. Digital engagement spans social, newsletters and Whisky Finder selection tools, showing genuine audience intelligence. Strong uplift, though digital depth is medium compared to the ultimate winners.
Highly commended (Brand): The Glen Grant Exploration No.1 Launch – Campari Group
Nominee’s comments:
The Glen Grant Exploration No.1 launch brought the thrill of discovery to travel retail through an integrated omnichannel campaign across 40+ locations in eight Asia Pacific countries, reaching 72 million travellers. By combining digital storytelling, immersive in-store experiences, and premium visibility, it engaged travellers at every stage of their journey, driving commercial success and building long-term brand affinity.
What the judges said:
- A very strong campaign and an extremely detailed and well-executed submission. It also ticks all the boxes of a successful promotion, exciting product, strong digital and social media campaign, visibility at the airport, exciting and informative in-store experience. Very well done.
- Sophisticated journey, multi-sensory discovery across premium airport locations, woven together with digital discovery tools, KOL press trips, retail partner ecosystems, Grab geo-targeting, inflight touchpoints, and personalised gifting. Strong dwell-time engagement and a clear narrative that carries pre-, during, and post-travel interest. Very solid omnichannel logic, though slightly less data-architecture depth vs the winners here.
- An outstanding entry that falls only just short of number one brand spot for me. As a retailer (Lotte Duty Free) neatly puts it, this is a launch (and a product) for those who seek not just a purchase but a story in every bottle. The ‘only here, only now’ mantra is precisely the urgent sort of message that travel retail exclusives (TREXs) require to underline true channel differentiation rather than tired ‘travel retail exclusive’ tagging which means little to most passengers. How many of them even know what ‘travel retail’ is?
Highly commended (Brand): Make Up For Ever
For details see: 12. Special Judges Award for Best Use of WeChat in a Single Campaign
6. Best Direct Engagement through Social & Digital Media
Winner (Airport): PHL Fan Zone/Where Eagles Fans Fly – MarketPlace PHL (Philadelphia Airport)
Nominee’s comments:
“Our Eagles-themed ‘PHL Fan Zone’ was a true rallying point, bringing the energy of game days directly into the airport,” said MarketPlace PHL Vice President and General Manager Mel Hannah.
“With each Eagles victory, we updated the space, reflecting the team’s journey, culminating in their Super Bowl championship. Fans took photos and shared their Philly pride throughout the season.”
What the judges said:
- A very good campaign and great use of Instagram on this special occasion.
- Powerful multi-platform activation blending real-world fan experiences with digital amplification. Seamless synergy between live events, influencer-style content, and community-driven social sharing. Outstanding engagement metrics and proven commercial impact. Emotional, strategic, and measurable.
- The campaign’s innate simplicity is what makes it work. A simply excellent engagement of an airport connecting with its passenger base.
Winner (Brand): Smokefreetravel.com – Philip Morris International
Nominee’s comments:
A global, consumer-centric site for PMI Smoke-Free products, empowering travellers to check real-time airport and domestic availability across 7,000+ SKUs. Stress-free, info-focused and journey-centric, it’s the first of its kind – helping legal-age users plan ahead and stay smoke-free, wherever they go.
What the judges said:
- Well-designed digital ecosystem built around a global website serving localised travel audiences. The platform integrates geolocation, airport/product databases and educational storytelling to promote responsible adult consumption and transparency. UX mirrors modern travel search engines, and frequent updates sustain engagement.
- A very good initiative to help make travelling a less stressful experience for PMI’s legal age users.
Highly Commended: ‘Eat, Shop & More at Midway’ – Midway Partnership
Nominee’s comments:
Midway Partnership launched a paid social media ad strategy to raise awareness of Chicago Midway International Airport’s food & beverage and retail offerings at all stages of the passenger journey.
What the judges said:
- A very cost-effective way to increase the F&B turnover and help travellers plan their time at the airport.
- Smart and highly measurable campaign combining paid and organic digital tactics. Strong geofencing and predictive targeting via Meta tools, with creative tied to real-time airport offers and events. Clear performance metrics and strong ROI on modest spend. Precision targeting and digital efficiency.
7. Best Small Budget Campaign – Spend under US$50k
Winner (Retailer): ARI’s travel retail-first launch of Charlotte Tilbury online booking service – ARI
Nominee’s comments:
ARI was the partner of choice to deliver a new and innovative experiences to the travel retail channel, collaborating with Charlotte Tilbury to launch the brand’s first online pre-booking system for travel retail customers at Dublin Airport Duty Free.
What the judges said:
- This campaign impressively maximises a small budget by seamlessly integrating digital innovation with personalised in-store experiences. The launch of Charlotte Tilbury’s online booking system creates real value for travellers, driving early engagement and convenience while strengthening brand loyalty. Smart use of social media and CRM tools amplified reach, demonstrating creative problem-solving and effective resource allocation within financial constraints.
- Digital-first service layer with tangible UX impact. Free pre-booked beauty treatments, strong CRM engagement, and excellent content-driven discovery. The most “structurally innovative” entry. High conversion intent for a likely sub-US$50K spend.
Winner (Airport): Mother’s Day Share the Love – Kansas City International Airport
Nominee’s comments:
Kansas City International Airport celebrated Mother’s Day by sharing the love directly with moms travelling through the airport and by providing guests with opportunities to shop for her.
What the judges said:
- This campaign is a lovely example of how a small budget can deliver meaningful, emotionally resonant experiences in the airport space and it checks many of the boxes for the Best Small Budget Campaign category (perhaps ultra-small budget category?) .
- A charming, well-executed surprise-and-delight concept that creates emotional value and cleverly drives concession traffic. Strong use of local products, selfie activation, and coffee partnership. Impressive results for only US$5k.
- Who says big is always better? A small-budget delight.
Highly Commended (Retailer): Where Beauty Comes to Play – Heinemann Duty Free Asia Pacific
Nominee’s comments:
This campaign exemplifies how strategic thinking and calculated decisions can drive impact. By leveraging beauty insights, precision discounting and a seamless omni-channel approach, we re-engaged beauty consumers and drove +2% spend per pax – proving that data-driven creativity can unlock growth, against a challenging retail landscape.
What the judges said:
- Strategic, insight-led beauty campaign turning a declining segment into growth with the right mechanics. Strong omnichannel precision, claw machine activation, and multi-tier discounts.
- Overall, this campaign appear very effective in striking a balance of creative problem‑solving, effective budget use, strong results and engaging execution. However, in terms of innovation, it may lean more toward smart marketing rather than the most pioneering digital or experiential formats entered in this category.
Highly Commended (Retailer): Club Avolta x Troy Hawke
Nominee’s comments:
A brilliantly executed small-budget campaign that brought humour, heart and high engagement to support Club Avolta’s launch to the world. Avolta’s collaboration with comedian Troy Hawke delivered viral content and mass positive sentiment, proving that big impact doesn’t require big spend.
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What the judges said:
- This small-budget campaign brilliantly used humour and genuine human connection to create highly engaging, viral content that supported Club Avolta’s global launch. Its simplicity and comedic touch proved that impactful marketing doesn’t need a big budget to resonate widely.
- Brilliant use of humour and celebrity micro-moments in duty free. Highly shareable, unscripted content aligned with brand colour and tone. At just US$25k, 2.4 million views and 40k engagements is outstanding. Fast, modern, social-native disruption. Creates real moments/memories.
- I suppose it depends on your sense of humour. Personally I found the interaction awkward and potentially cringe-making. But hey, different strokes for different folks and the results were unquestionably good.
Highly Commended (Retailer): ‘Win a Big Prize’ – Dufry Mexico (Avolta)
Nominee’s comments:
The ‘Win a Big Prize’ campaign boosted sales, drove engagement through gamified trivia, and delivered standout visibility with a luxury car prize to prove that creativity and impact can outperform market challenges.
What the judges said:
- This campaign brilliantly uses a luxury car as a bold visual anchor, creating instant excitement and drawing attention in a busy airport environment.
- The combination of gamified trivia and immersive, high-impact visuals turned a simple purchase into a memorable, engaging experience that clearly boosted sales and brand visibility. With a smart, modest budget, it proves how creativity and strong execution can deliver outstanding results and lasting brand equity.
- A classic ‘wow-prize’ mechanic executed with scale and drama: real car on-site, digital amplification, trivia gamification. Delivered enhanced sales despite passenger decline. Strong commercial performance.
8. Best Use of Innovative Digital Platforms (AI, VR, the Metaverse)
Winner (Brand): AI DJ at YSL Beauty Light Club – L’Oréal Travel Retail Asia Pacific
Nominee’s comments:
YSL Beauty’s AI-powered DJ revolutionised retail, blending personalised beauty consultations with immersive entertainment. This innovative experience transformed shopping into a dynamic, unforgettable spectacle, redefining customer engagement through cutting-edge technology.
What the judges said:
- This AI-powered DJ experience brilliantly marries shoppertainment with personalised beauty discovery, creating a vibrant, multi-sensory retail environment that captivates modern travellers. The key achievement lies in seamlessly guiding consumers from AI-driven style insights to in-person makeup consultations, elevating engagement beyond traditional shopping. This initiative sets a new standard for immersive, tech-enabled retail experiences in the beauty sector.
- Beautiful set-up in Sanya and great use of innovative technological tools to attract and retain clients in the shop.
Winner (Retailer): Avolta Digital x Entertainment Innovation – Avolta
Nominee’s comments:
Avolta is using cutting-edge AR and AI solutions to redefine airport entertainment with Club Avolta. By combining in-house innovation with partnerships from industry leaders, it aims to deliver immersive, high-impact experiences that transform waiting time into engaging moments, strengthening customer loyalty and positioning airports as dynamic, tech-driven destinations.
What the judges said:
- This Avolta initiative focuses on using AR and interactive games to make airport waiting more enjoyable, primarily through gamified experiences such as treasure hunts and a proprietary football simulator.
- It creates fun touchpoints and successfully extends engagement via the Club Avolta app. While the technology doesn’t appear to push groundbreaking AI boundaries seen in some of the more disruptive brand projects, it’s a solid use of digital entertainment.
- Excellent use of various innovative media (VR, AI, AR etc.) to attract clients to join Avolta Club and to spend more time in the store and make fun memories.
Highly commended (Brand): Lancôme Génifique AI – Lancôme Travel Retail Asia Pacific
Nominee’s comments:
Lancôme Travel Retail Asia Pacific aimed to revolutionise the traveller’s retail experience with a worldwide exclusive Génifique Ultimate Travellers’ Repair Clinic.
Powered by unparalleled AI beauty technology, this world-first AI-generated beauty campaign delivered hyper-personalised skincare consultations through an immersive phygital experience, blending cutting-edge digital intelligence with luxurious physical interaction, setting a new benchmark for innovative brand engagement and consumer personalisation.
What the judges said:
- Lancôme’s Génifique Ultimate Travellers’ Repair Clinic sets a bold new standard for phygital beauty experiences in travel retail. By fusing AI-powered diagnostics with immersive design, the activation delivered highly personalized skincare journeys that felt both luxurious and futuristic. The use of generative AI transformed traditional consultations into dynamic, data-driven engagements – making skincare smarter, faster and uniquely tailored for every traveller.
- Similar to the YSL entry, this campaign features an amazing set-up with the AI assistant as the talking point. However, I think the winner shows slightly better and more varied use of those tools.
9. Best Use of Instagram in a Single Campaign
Winner (Retailer): Club Avolta – Chamère Kir Royal x Emily in Paris Launch Campaign – Avolta
Nominee’s comments:
Chamère Kir Royal’s Avolta travel-exclusive launch redefined the role of Instagram in travel retail.
With elegant storytelling, influencer collaborations, and platform-native execution, Club Avolta delivered a campaign that was aspirational, emotional and highly engaging — setting a new benchmark for how brands connect with audiences on Instagram.
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What the judges said:
- Very good campaign: product, communication style are all aligned and perfectly suited to IG with its content. Well done.
- A well-executed campaign that demonstrates solid fundamentals of influencer-based Instagram strategy. While effective, it leans more towards a standard approach rather than offering innovative or pioneering elements.
- Smart , chic and fun in line with the brand personality. It is nice seeing travel retail putting a smile on people’s faces.
Winner (Airport): Glasgow Airport: Ready for take-off – Glasgow Airport
Nominee’s comments:
At Glasgow Airport, our Instagram isn’t just a platform, we have made it a personality. By blending humour, storytelling and real-life moments, we’ve built an authentic and engaging space that reflects the airport we want to be and the spirit of Glasgow, Scotland’s largest city.
What the judges said:
- Glasgow Airport has successfully cultivated a friendly and authentic voice on Instagram, balancing playful and informative content to engage its audience. The account consistently reflects the airport’s personality while providing valuable updates, travel tips and behind-the-scenes glimpses.
- This approach fosters a strong sense of connection with passengers and the wider community, making the Instagram presence feel approachable, relatable and genuinely engaging.
- Very good use of IG and an impressive number of impressions. A great way to connect travellers with their airport.
10. Best Use of LinkedIn
Joint winner: #WePurpletheWorld – WEPURPLE
Nominee’s comments:
The #WEPURPLETHEWORLD LinkedIn campaign has showcased B2B social media’s impact on global travel retail (GTR) through thought leadership, innovative formats, and measurable results.
WEPURPLE pioneered the LinkedIn Newsletter format in the channel, gaining 1,800 subscribers and 14,000 impressions in 2025. Ongoing client education and GTR-specific brand page management reinforces its ambition to make brand storytelling and experiences more memorable, holistic and enriching.
What the judges said:
- WEPURPLE’s #WEPURPLETHEWORLD campaign showcases a best-in-class use of LinkedIn, blending thought leadership, client education and innovative content formats to elevate global travel retail visibility. With zero ad spend, it built a highly engaged community of over 7,000 professionals and set a high standard for B2B storytelling and strategic platform use in the industry.
- Pioneering early adoption of LinkedIn newsletters and training clients including Mondelez and Lindt in B2B engagement showcases category innovation.
- Strong organic results (1,800 newsletter subs, high engagement rates) on zero ad spend. Conceptually powerful.
Joint Winner: Avolta Corporate LinkedIn Account
Nominee’s comments:
Avolta’s LinkedIn is product of true teamwork, built through collaboration across functions. It has grown into a cornerstone of our external communications strategy; home for our team members, platform to showcase our scale, diversity, innovation, and a trusted channel strengthening our reputation on the path to Destination 2027.
What the judges said:
- Content cadence, visual consistency, and leadership visibility (CEO thought pieces, milestone storytelling) are best-in-class. Results demonstrate genuine sector leadership and global resonance, achieved organically.
- Avolta’s LinkedIn activity delivered impressive organic reach and growth, positioning the brand as a major player in travel retail and F&B with over 60% follower growth and nearly 2 million impressions. The execution is polished and effective, though the overall strategy leans on standard corporate storytelling without introducing notably unique or groundbreaking approaches.
- The numbers tell their own story as expertly as the account tells Avolta’s many stories. The company uses the LinkedIn platform adroitly to communicate with a vast audience comprising fellow sector stakeholders and global team members.
11. Best Use of Video (Short-form or Long-form)
Winner (Hospitality): Sky The Lounge – Before Boarding
Nominee’s comments:
By transforming everyday lounge sounds into an original symphony, the company turned Sky The Lounge into a sensory journey that travellers could experience before even stepping inside.
With over 3 million impressions, nearly a million views, and a surge in upgrades, creativity – not budget – became the most powerful currency.
What the judges said:
- This entry stands out for its originality and sensory storytelling. By transforming everyday lounge sounds into a compelling audio-visual symphony, the content offered a truly immersive preview of the Sky Lounge experience. The video didn’t just capture attention – it created a feeling, inviting viewers to engage emotionally before they ever set foot inside. With over 3 million impressions, close to a million views, and a notable uplift in lounge upgrades, this campaign proves (as the entry claims) that creativity – not budget – is indeed the real driver of impact.
- Excellent value for money, the video is really well made and presents the lounge in the best light.
Winner (Food & Beverage): The Vinery, Heathrow Airport Terminal 2 – SSP UK & Ireland
Nominee’s comments:
The Vinery’s short-form video transforms the airport dining narrative – inviting travellers to slow down, indulge and connect. Through cinematic storytelling and sensory detail, it captures the soul of The Vinery and redefines what hospitality can feel like in transit.
What the judges said:
- The installation is dramatically impactful, the filmmaking appropriately tastebud tempting. A showstopper.
- Excellent use of videos and a very eye-catching screen to boot. Made me hungry for breakfast.
- Overall execution (video + LCD screen placement) outstanding.
12. Special Judges Award for Best Use of WeChat in a Single Campaign
Winner: Make Up For Ever
Nominee’s comments (made for Best Omnichannel Campaign):
Amidst Golden Week’s retail rush, Make Up for Ever shone with a C-Trip partnership linking online excitement to offline experience. Through smart targeting and in-store personalised touch-up services and engagement activities powered by WeChat, the campaign guided travellers from planning to purchase – boosting sales, memberships and brand love that endured beyond the holiday.
What the judges said:
- Excellent Chinese traveller omnichannel logic: precision targeting via C-Trip, H5 landing pages, WeChat Mini-Program enrolment, and seamless transition to in-store artistry zones. Balanced short-term uplift and long-term data capture. Truly journey-centered. Modern look.
- An all-embracing campaign that brilliantly combined precision targeting on C-Trip with an immersive WeChat ecosystem. For a modest budget this campaign drove an impressive +23% year-on-year increase in sales with 1.9 million impressions. But it wasn’t only about sales. Make Up For Ever created an engaging H5 page spotlighting its hore products, the UHD Setting Powder and Loose Powders, and seamlessly redirected users to an exclusive WeChat Travel Retail Mini-Program. Smart.
- To encourage membership sign-ups, travellers were rewarded with deluxe gifts in-store. In turn that gave the brand hugely valuable insights into consumer demographics and interests. An oustanding Omnichannel campaign within which WeChat played a crucial role.
13. Special Judges Award for Sustained Instagram excellence*
Winner: Shinsegae Duty Free
View this post on Instagram
View this post on Instagram
View this post on Instagram
View this post on Instagram
What the judges said:
- Shinsegae Duty Free’s Instagram platform offers a constantly compelling fusion of strategic content and retailtainment. One of the pivotal (and welcome) trends in Korean travel retail – and also in markets such as China – is the fusion of culture and commerce. Shinsegae Duty Free deploys that ‘cultural curation’ in marvellously enriching ways as shown by the Instagram examples above.
- Shinsegae Duty Free works with renowned Korean artists such as Daehyun Sohn and Yoo Youngkuk to position itself as a cultural curator just as much as a shopping emporium and Instagram is a key platform in delivering that premise.
- We also love the company’s unrelenting focus on K-Culture. Whether it’s K-beauty, K-fashion, K-drama, K-food and K-Pop, the company not only rides but enlarges the Korean Wave (Hallyu) experience with verve, joy and brilliance.
14. Special Judges Award for Best Overall Use of WeChat*
Winner: China Duty Free Group
- Best in class. That’s the inevitable conclusion in describing China Duty Free Group’s (CDFG) mastery of this critical platform. CDFG leverages WeChat with immense verve as an integrated platform embracing CRM, loyalty, marketing, sales and more. Its Mini Programs are key drivers of browsing, ordering and sales, particularly during peak shopping periods such as Golden Week, Chinese New Year and the year-end holidays.
- CDF does an outstanding job on WeChat. Every channel has its own shopping Mini Program, making purchases super convenient. There’s also a dedicated Mini Program for the membership system. And all the functions work incredibly smoothly.
- Brilliantly seamless ecommerce integration allows customers to skip queues and manage transactions entirely within the app. In addition, CDFG drives engagement through WeChat livestreaming to drive consumer interest and ultimately sales.
- In my opinion, CDF’s Mini Program platforms are undoubtedly number one in the travel retail industry. Even within China’s expansive ecommerce industry, it is above average.
