Pernod Ricard has reported strong early sales for Absolut Exposure in select duty free/travel retail markets around the globe.
Exclusively for travellers, Absolut Exposure celebrates the art of photography and its illusionary qualities and was developed in creative collaboration with Swedish photographer, director and visual artist Johan Renck.
As reported, it is made with honey melon and lemongrass and presented in a bottle and gift package with an innovative and groundbreaking technique of incorporating photography – for the first time – in bottle printing.
Johan Renck has photographed actress and supermodel Lydia Hearst guised in a number of different “personas”. Three of these characters – called Carter, Trojan and Dimitty – were selected to illustrate the multi-faceted nature of every individual, adding diversity to the product offer as well as an illusory effect to store displays, the company said.
By purchasing all three bottles, the consumer acquires an instant Absolut limited-edition collection, it added.
In addition to the images of Lydia Hearst, the bottle decor also features a bowler hat (a trademark of Johan Renck) and hands “holding” the image, symbolising the dual role of the artist.
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Absolut Exposure’s striking in-store displays in Europe reflected the bottle designs and featured the iconic elements of the campaign’s story, such as the bowler hat glorifiers |
The duty free/travel retail markets selected for the exclusive Absolut Exposure launch included London Heathrow, Stockholm Arlanda, Dubai, Singapore, Abu Dhabi and Sydney. The launch was backed by a 360-degree campaign in all available media, including site-unique in-store brand installations, digital touch points, Mix It Bars and tastings.
In Europe, Absolut Exposure has performed ahead of expectations, claimed the brand owner, building on the success of travel retail exclusives from previous years. Activated throughout Europe over a five-month period, Absolut Exposure’s striking in-store displays reflected the bottle designs and featured the iconic elements of the campaign’s story, such as the bowler hat glorifiers.
Activations also included product sampling of lead serve, Absolut Lemony Exposure, by brand ambassadors. Upon purchase, consumers received a bowler hat-shaped Absolut Exposure Recipe Booklet featuring Absolut Lemony Exposure and other cocktails to enjoy with their limited-edition bottle.
Pernod Ricard Travel Retail Europe Senior Brand Manager Neil Sharp commented: “Exposure gave us a wonderful creative platform from which we were able to invent some very fresh and edgy in-store animations that definitely stopped passengers in their tracks. The modern flavour of honey melon and lemongrass mixed into some delicious cocktails, left consumers very impressed, and drove purchase beyond our expectations.”
In the Pacific, Absolut Exposure was launched by Pernod Ricard Pacific Travel Retail with a display in Sydney Airport departures, alongside tastings of Absolut Lemony Exposure by brand ambassadors.
“We were delighted to launch this travellers’ exclusive; a unique range of bottles in Pacific duty free. The display in Sydney Airport had great stand out due to the use of Renck’s bold photography, together with tastings of the product,” said Pernod Ricard Pacific Travel Retail Senior Brand Manager Kate Maxwell.
Absolut Exposure was also rolled out in the Gulf, featuring on the Mix It Bar in DFS Abu Dhabi from which travellers were offered similar tastings. The vibrant and original campaign artwork of the bar attracted consumers onto the shop floor, Pernod Ricard said, where the three bottle designs were “very popular” with travellers and collectors.
At Dubai Duty Free, an Absolut Exposure photo pod was installed allowing passengers to take their photo on a specially developed iPad app which could then be shared via Instagram or emailed direct to them.
Incorporating innovative technology into a showcase of the new bottle design helped to bring the collaboration with the photographer to life, the company said.
“Introducing Instagram in one of our activations for the first time enabled us to reach consumers beyond the airport environment via social media. We were also able to further engage consumers and capture the attention of busy travellers on the shop floor by incorporating new innovative technology such as the transparent screen in our installation,” said Pernod Ricard Gulf Brand Manager Catriona Ryan.
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The Absolut Exposure launch in the Gulf incorporated innovative technology such as the transparent screen in the installation and the use of Instagram |
