SINGAPORE. 12.50 p.m. at the DFS Venture Singapore liquor & tobacco store at Changi Airport and a huge burst of cheering and applause fills the air.
Just moments after Pernod Ricard’s new ultra-premium Scotch whisky Chivas Regal 25yo went on shelf at Changi, Singaporean national Francis Ong Wei Lip has just purchased the first bottle, for S$336 (around US$225 at current exchange rates).
Within seconds he is engulfed by the Pernod Ricard Travel Retail Asia and DFS teams, congratulating him on the landmark purchase. Over a dram of Chivas Regal 25yo, he joins in a toast proposed by Darren Hosie, International Brand Ambassador Asia Pacific, Chivas Brothers, who moments earlier had been telling a large audience of consumer media as well as CAAS, DFS and Pernod Ricard management, of the “rich, honeyed” character of the new blend.
 |  |
The ‘world tour’ reaches its next stage as Martin Moodie and Pernod Ricard Travel Retail Asia’s Alexandre Ricard and Patrick Castanier finally reach Singapore Changi Airport after the long, long flight from New York; (Right) A warm welcome to Changi from the DFS Galleria Scottswalk Platinum Services Club’s Lily Teo and Iris Tan to the Pernod Ricard team including Regional Marketing Manager Gloria Song (right) and The Moodie Report | |
 |  |
(Left) New CAAS Director-General, Major General Lim Kim Choon, discusses the launch with DFS Venture Singapore Managing Director Craig McKenna and Alexandre Ricard; (Right) Alexandre Ricard showcases the new 25yo to the audience like the proud father of a new baby | |
 |  |
(Left) Alexandre Ricard and CAAS Director-General, Major General Lim Kim Choon, look on appreciatively during the unveiling of Chivas Regal 25yo; (Right) Official photo-shoot time (L-R): Patrick Castanier, Pernod Ricard Travel Retail; Martin Moodie; Craig McKenna, DFS Venture; Major General Lim Kim Choon, CAAS Director-General; Alexandre Ricard; Pernod Ricard Travel Retail; Darren Hosie, International Brand Ambassador Asia Pacific, Chivas Brothers; Lim Peck Hoon, CAAS Director (Commercial) | |
As a somewhat bemused consumer takes in all the media attention around him, I ask him if his decision was swayed by the ceremony that had just taken place. “No,” he replies. “She was a very good sales person.”
That sales person is Maricris, from the Philippines, whose smile could light up most of Manila as she is congratulated by her colleagues. She has worked for DFS for four years and enjoys selling great brands, she tells me. “I told him he could only get this product at Changi Airport for now,” she says, explaining how she clinched the sale.
 |  |
(Left) “Slanjevar” (Cheers) – time to taste a great Scotch; (Right) A true retailer-brand partnership (L-R) Iris Tan, DFS Galleria Scottswalk; Alexandre Ricard and Patrick Castanier, Pernod Ricard Travel Retail Asia; Lily Teo, DFS Galleria Scottswalk | |
 |  |
Another Changi first: DFS has a one-month exclusivity in Asia Pacific travel retail, a key component of the retailer’s approach at the airport where its ‘Changi First’ programme is in full swing | |
The formal Asian launch of Chivas Regal 25yo came moments earlier. Pernod Ricard Managing Director Duty Free Asia Alexandre Ricard and his colleagues Patrick Castanier and Gloria Song had flown with the first bottle of the new line from New York JFK Airport where it made its retail debut last Friday. Accompanied by The Moodie Report, on hand for an unprecedented chronicling of a global brand launch, the Pernod Ricard team arrived bleary-eyed after the 22-hour flight from JFK.
There they joined management and staff from the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) and DFS, plus a large gathering of local lifestyle, fashion and daily media, for the big launch at Changi Airport T2. The unveiling was honoured by the presence of new CAAS Director-General Major General Lim Kim Choon, and CAAS Director (Commercial) Lim Peck Hoon.
DFS has an initial period of exclusivity in Asian travel retail for Chivas Regal 25yo at Changi. DFS Venture Singapore Managing Director Craig McKenna told guests: “I would like to thank General Lim and his team from CAAS for supporting this excellent launch of Chivas Regal 25yo. It was General Lim who challenged DFS back in March to make Changi Airport the launching pad in the Asia Pacific region for new and innovative product launches.
“From that challenge has grown our “˜Changi First’ programme – a commitment from DFS and our key partners to launch new products exclusively at Changi, on an ongoing basis.
“I also want to thank Alexandre Ricard and his team from Pernod Ricard for the fantastic support provided to bring Changi this wonderful launch and also for flying half way around the world to bring us the first bottle in Asia.
“It is through such fine partnerships that DFS will be able to keep Changi Airport ahead of the rest, when it comes to innovation and exclusivity. Innovation and exclusivity are the keys for sustained growth in the liquor business and Pernod Ricard is leading the way with this launch package.”
 |  |
(Left) “I’ll take a bottle of the 25yo Chivas Regal please” – Singaporean national Francis Ong Wei Lip becomes the first Asian traveller to buy the new line, just minutes after it went on shelf; (Right) He is toasted – with a dram of Chivas Regal 25yo – by Darren Hosie, International Brand Ambassador Asia Pacific, Chivas Brothers | |
 |  |
(Left) The product may be superb but it often takes a good sales assistant to clinch the deal: Maricris from DFS, who made the first sale of Chivas Regal 25yo; (Right) An elegant setting for the brand’s Asian debut at Changi | |
Pernod Ricard Travel Retail Asia Managing Director Alexandre Ricard told the audience that the 25yo was making its comeback to the trade after first being launched 98 years ago in New York. “I’m very proud of this,” he said. “I wish great success for this great brand at this great airport”.
CAAS Director-General Lim told The Moodie Report that he was delighted to see DFS deliver such an important exclusivity to the airport. “We challenged them earlier this year to do that,” he said. “So it is good for the airport and good for our travellers.”
McKenna told The Moodie Report: “This launch really suits our customer profile. Scotch whisky is our fastest-growing category and within it ultra-premium Scotch is growing very fast. Changi is almost the perfect environment in which to launch. We have the space and we have a very supportive airport company in CAAS.
“When we went through the [liquor & tobacco tender] presentation process earlier this year, General Lim challenged us that innovation and exclusivity should drive the future of liquor in this airport. He said: “˜You have to help me make Changi first more often’.”
McKenna said the resultant “˜Changi First’ programme is now in place for the next 12 months. “The plan is to have something new every month – a first or an exclusive or an exclusive for a period of time.
“Liquor is now turning into a premium business and we’re pretty connected with the vendors on this,” he concluded.
We’ll bring you a full report on the New York and Asia launches in The Moodie Report Print Edition, out later this month. For our unique diary of this ambitious launch, see The Moodie BLOG and listen to our Moodie Podcasts, featuring DFS President Merchandising Michael Shriver, and Pernod Ricard’s Alexandre Ricard and Christophe Lemarié live from New York.
MORE COVERAGE OF THE CHIVAS REGAL 25YO LAUNCH
Chivas Regal 25 year old: a star is (re)born – 29/09/07
A Regal journey – The Moodie BLOG
Sacre bleu! Chivas 25yo arrives in Changi – The Moodie BLOG
An Incredible Journey – The Moodie Podcast
