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The story of Swatch, the inspiration for the July limited-edition cover, offers important lessons in dealing with crisis, says Heather Cho |
SOUTH KOREA. Korean Air, the world’s most successful inflight retailer, has launched the latest limited-edition version of its monthly onboard duty free shopping magazine Sky Shop.
Sky Shop, uniquely in the inflight retail world, publishes its magazine monthly. And for its selected brand partners it sends out a unique limited-edition featuring highly innovative and unusual front covers.
The July edition features a clock (with actual hands imposed on the cover and a miniature aeroplane icon at the end of the seconds hand) dedicated to Swatch, one of the airline’s key brand partners.
Korean Air Managing Vice President Catering & Inflight Sales Business Division Heather Co said: “In the late 1970s the Swiss watch industry was in the midst of its worst crisis ever, due to Japanese competition with the low-priced digital watch.
“To overcome this obstacle Swatch introduced a Swatch slim plastic watch that combined top quality with a highly affordable price and it led the Swatch Group to become the largest and most dynamic watch company in the world.
“It is a good example which offers a lesson that we should face a crisis and cope with it together via a positive attitude – changing it into a great opportunity for success.”
The mainstream 224-page July edition is also full of innovation, featuring 12 new lines, including the Manchester United fragrance which is being rolled out into travel retail by privately held Singaporean company Yam Seng Pte.
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It is the first airline listing for the new line. Manchester United is hugely popular in South Korea (and throughout Asia and the Middle East), helped by the fact that South Korean captain Park Ji-Sung is a star player for the side.
Korean Air is the world’s leading inflight retailer, having posted sales of US$183 million in 2008.
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