MALAYSIA. Absolut vodka has launched its first-ever stand-alone brand store, in association with leading Malaysian travel retailer Eraman Duty Free and Pernod Ricard Asia Travel Retail.
The flagship store is sited in Kuala Lumpur International Airport’s (KLIA) new “cutting edge lifestyle and shopping experience area”. The zone features a powerful array of leading fashion, cosmetics and luxury brands but Absolut is the only spirits brand with an exclusive store presence.
“This is the first brand store that Absolut has ever opened, so it’s a great and historical moment for us,” said The Absolut Company CEO Paul Duffy. “With the Absolut Brand Store in Kuala Lumpur International Airport, we are creating the ultimate brand experience for our travelling consumers.”
“It’s yet another testament to the unique brand and image-building qualities of our gobal duty free and travel retail market,” commented The Absolut Company Global Travel Retail Director Anders Olsson.
 |
The spectacular new stand-alone store features an Absolut bespoke bar, described as “a piece of art in its own right” |
The Pernod Ricard-owned spirits house said that the store is an important initiative in its quest to create “next generation shopping arenas in the global duty free/travel retail market”. Those arenas, it added, would offer scenes with the potential of achieving increased sales in combination with more “intense and exciting shopping experiences, as well as with image building and consumer-relation strengthening effects”.
On entry into the 45sq m store, shoppers are greeted by an Absolut host before exploring a number of attractions. An Absolut bespoke bar, described as “a piece of art in its own right” is sited at the centre of the store. New digital innovations are delivered through projection mapping designed to capture the imagination of the traveller. An “˜Absolut Drinkspiration’ display offers a range of cocktails for travellers to experience.
Absolut said that KLIA is a key hub in an important and fast growing market for the brand – a market distinguished by its exceptionally international mix of travellers. Eraman Duty Free has a long and successful brand building history with Pernod Ricard, the company said, noting that the choice of location was both strategic and relationship-based.
 |
“A transforming experiment for the Absolut brand while enhancing the traveling experience for our consumers” – Pernod Ricard Asia Travel Retail Managing Director Con Constandis |
“We’re thrilled to have the opportunity to execute this pioneering endeavour in Kuala Lumpur International Airport,” said Pernod Ricard Asia Travel Retail Managing Director Con Constandis.
“Eraman has been a great partner for breaking boundaries in the duty free and travel retail market. Our conviction is that this will be a transforming experiment for the Absolut brand while enhancing the travelling experience for our consumers.”
“This cutting-edge venture is a manifestation of our determination to infuse new exciting energy and creativity to lifestyle marketing in order to meet and surpass the high demands of savvy air travellers,” said Eraman Duty Free General Manager Fawzy Ahmad.
“We are proud and happy to integrate the world’s first Absolut Brand Store amidst the leading fashion, cosmetics, designer and luxury labels in this new lifestyle arena. Travellers passing through KLIA will now be able to take pleasure in the latest and most exciting shopping experiences all under one roof, in the essence of comfort and convenience which the new area personifies.”
COMMENT: What a brilliant initiative by Absolut, Pernod Ricard Travel Retail and Eraman Duty Free, writes Martin Moodie. This is commitment to (and investment in) the duty free and travel retail channel of the highest order, supported by brilliant execution.
It’s great to see an industry major having such belief in travel retail. And how about the spectre of a vodka brand moving into territory that previously only super and ultra-premium Scotch whisky and Cognac houses would have dared to contemplate? In short, Absolutly fabulous.
