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The eye-catching Johnnie Walker-dedicated ‘pod’ has attracted strong interest from intrigued travellers |
UAE. Diageo Global Travel & Middle East has launched a powerful new initiative in partnership with Dubai Duty Free and Dubai Airports Company – creating the first ever alcohol sampling event at the regional hub, and delivering what the partners call “an unprecedented shopper experience”.
The “˜Mentorship Experience’ provides customers with a tailored, private, one-to-one tutorial of Diageo’s portfolio of luxury brands, and was launched initially with the Johnnie Walker Double Black experience. The activation can also be adapted to other brands from the portfolio, including Johnnie Walker Blue Label Blended Scotch Whisky, Ketel One Vodka, Zacapa Rum and Tanqueray Ten Gin.
Situated between the First and Business Class Emirates’ lounges in T3, the Mentorship Experience is hosted by Diageo Brand Ambassador Tony Shoushani. The “˜pod’ has an intimate, predominantly black interior said to be like that of an elite private club. Diageo GTME said it had already provoked exceptional interest from intrigued travellers.
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The minimalist branding takes into account sensitivity around alcohol in Dubai |
Part-mirrored on the outside the unit ensures privacy for the shopper, with the concourse visible through the one-way glass “˜window’. The exterior includes minimal branding and one wall has a large interactive touch-screen to provide an interactive experience.
The Brand Ambassador can use the screen to introduce the shopper to the brand story, including the creative process and expert advice on how to serve, before presenting the tasting experience inside.
Sights and sounds of Scotland
On entering the almost soundproof venue, changes in lighting, sound and smell are triggered to develop the ambience, including aromas relevant to the product, such as peat, fruit and wood and sounds such as tranquil music, bagpipes and flowing water that aims to evoke thoughts of Scotland.
The interior has a seated area that can be adapted to a “˜lounge’ format with leather lounging seats or a “˜bar’ format, with two bar stools at a small, illuminated glass bar. Most appointments are one-to-one but the air-conditioned capsule accommodates two or three participants, if necessary.
Hugo Mills, Gulf Regional Director Diageo GTME MENA (Middle East & North Africa), explained: “Little is revealed from the outside but, within the pod, the customer is taken on a personal tasting journey, under expert guidance. They take away with them an incredible and intriguing experience and carry much stronger connections to the brands that they have encountered.”
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The Mentorship Experience “blends entertainment, education and personal service”, says Diageo GTME |
He added: “Our target customer not only desires luxury brands, such as the Johnnie Walker portfolio, but also wants to gain an understanding of them. The Mentorship Experience gives them the brands they want as part of a unique experience that blends entertainment, education and personal service.
“The “˜pod’ breaks the predictability of the airport experience and intrigues the traveller into discovering what on earth this is all about. It really does transform the airport experience by taking them into the “˜pod’ and creating a separate experience that is like a world apart from the normal routine of passing through the terminal. It’s only 10-20 minutes but it’s such a radical transformation that it feels like an escape from the normal world of travel.”
Mills added: “The Mentorship Experience has completely challenged what we thought possible at Dubai Airport. It has been an amazing adventure into the unknown and has enabled us to think completely differently about how we will grow our business in the future. It is a remarkable expression of the sort of breakthroughs that can be achieved by innovative shared thinking between ourselves and our partners, Dubai Airports Company and Dubai Duty Free.”
Mills said the activation has set a new benchmark at Dubai Airport. “This project has taken “˜Trinity’ to a new level. The Mentorship Experience is a win on every level for everyone involved – from brand awareness to sales, from supporting the whole airport experience to exciting even the most jaded of travellers it has been a significant achievement and has set a new context for future activities at the airport.”
Click on the icon above to view the Mentorship Experience in action at Dubai T3 |
Targeting premium travellers
The Mentorship Experience is targeted at premium travellers using the Emirates lounges and relies initially on the visual impact of the unit to draw their initial interest. A uniformed hostess registers the guest for an appointment, including discreetly assessing their suitability and ensuring that they understand that alcohol sampling is included in the experience.
Later, after texting them and then escorting them from the Emirates lounge, she introduces them to the Brand Ambassador host, Tony Shoushani. He guides the guest in the history, production, serving and tasting experience of the brand. The experience is tailored to the needs and existing knowledge of the shopper; from whisky novice to experienced collector.
After the experience the shopper is then escorted to the Dubai Duty Free store to complete their purchase and in the first phase of the activation, the retailer has reported “very high conversion rates”.
The retailer supported the initial Johnnie Walker Double Black activation by providing a free engraving service for everyone who made a purchase after their Mentorship Experience.
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Diageo Brand Ambassador Tony Shoushani: “The brand experience is incomplete until they actually taste the liquid” |
Dubai Duty Free Deputy Managing Director George Horan noted: “This Mentorship Experience by Diageo was a remarkable first at Dubai Duty Free. The location of the unit enabled them to interact with what might be perceived as the more affluent passenger using the airport, so the option to “˜trade up’ was a reality. We saw the offer as a win-win for Dubai Duty Free and Diageo.
“We have been operating at Dubai Airport for 27 years, so we are of course very sensitive to local customs and traditions. As such, we had long discussions with the airport and Diageo, prior to agreeing to this initiative.
“Diageo is the largest supplier of alcohol to Dubai Duty Free, and over the years we have worked very closely with them to develop the business and strengthen our relationship. Also, Emirates is the largest carrier into Dubai so they play a very important part in the growth of our business at Dubai Airport. And, of course, we continue to work very closely with Dubai Airports Company.”
Dubai Airports CEO Paul Griffiths said: “We wanted to create an experience exclusive to Dubai Airport and deliver something never tried before. The Mentorship experience certainly helps to boost the image of the airport as a high quality innovator by using brands that are relevant and complementary to our service and product strategy.”
“As an airport operator, we have a strong spirit of innovation but we can only action that with the right quality of support from our partners. Diageo’s concept is exceptionally strong, particularly in the way that it combines the kudos of Diageo’s brands with Dubai Airport’s reputation, while appealing strongly to our target market and delivering an extraordinary experience in the ideal location.
“We certainly see this activation as a springboard for Dubai Airports and our relationship with Diageo in the way that we can work together to create something truly exceptional, something “˜truly Dubai’. We’re already working on our next shared concept, developing the themes of the Mentoring Experience into an even more amazing activity, and I’m very excited indeed about this.”
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The activation has been underpinned by strong ‘Trinity’ principles, say the partners |
The airport provided additional support through a series of media positions across the concourse at Terminal 3, created in partnership with advertising media specialist JC Decaux, underlining the partnership approach.
Collaboration is key
That collaboration between industry stakeholders is key in satisfying the consumer, added Griffiths.
“Our aim is to give the traveller and shopper the best possible experience but that aim can only be achieve by ensuring that every stakeholder is fully engaged.
“As an airport, we get a better passenger offer and gain status as a credible international destination offering an innovative and unique experience. The airline gains from a broader range of goods and services that enhance the traveller’s overall perception of the whole journey and experience. Diageo gains fabulous exposure for its brands and with the retailer, gains from the enhanced shopper experience and the resulting boost to sales.”
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The Experience was initially launched around Johnnie Walker Black Label line extension Double Black |
“There needs to be far more partnership and engagement across all parties and I find it difficult to understand why barriers continue to exist between parties that invest so strongly in their aim to satisfy the customer and yet they continue to fail to cooperate in a shared strategy that would be more effective in achieving that common aim, and almost certainly more profitable, for all concerned. I think this project is the catalyst for significant change and I’m sure that we will see radical new approaches across the categories.”
The sampling breakthrough
To deliver the unprecedented alcohol sampling while maintaining full respect for local sensitivities and regulations on the issue of alcohol demanded a common, holistic approach from brand owner, retailer and airport partner, the three parties noted.
Dubai Airports Vice President of Retail Eugene Barry said: “We made it our business to engage anybody who might have an objection and ensure that it would be handled in a sensitive, responsible and professional manner.
“The experience goes well beyond the issue of simply tasting the product, it’s educational, engaging and entertaining and emphasises to the traveller that Dubai Airport provides them with a uniquely different experience to that available at other airports. It’s also a vital way of making Diageo’s products stand out.
“In essence, it has been an excellent project that delivers exactly what we aimed for and has further enhanced the powerful working relationship we have develop with Diageo. The fact that our partnership with Diageo and Dubai Duty Free has delivered this initiative is a major accomplishment in travel retail.”
Tony Shoushani, Diageo’s Brand Ambassador, also explained the appeal of the experience: “The wonderful heritage and stories behind brands such as Johnnie Walker Black Label are vital in engaging and educating the shopper but I think the brand experience is incomplete until they actually taste the liquid.
“The Mentorship Experience gives me the opportunity to provide the shopper with a truly unique and memorable experience that is actually tailored to their individual needs. I know that many go on to share their experience with friends, colleagues and family and they love the kudos of gaining in-depth knowledge, especially on the Johnnie Walker range. Their experience reflects very positively not only on the brand but also in the stand-out it creates across the retail element and the whole Dubai Airport experience.”
Diageo said it was in advanced discussions with a number of other major airports that have expressed strong interest in hosting the Mentorship Experience.
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The new activation complements Dubai Duty Free’s strong existing business in Terminal 3, which opened in 2008 |
