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Mars ITR General Manager Craig Sergeant (left), DFA President Leon Falic (centre) and JFK Terminal 7 Vice President Alan Eley officially open the latest M&M’s store |
Mars International Travel Retail and Duty Free Americas (DFA) have partnered to open an M&M’s store at New York JFK Terminal 7 (British Airways terminal), between gates 7 and 8. It is the ninth M&M’s store to open in travel retail.
The 30sq m store officially opened on 5 February (soft opening 26 January). It replaces the previous M&M’s unit that was in place since 2011.
The store has a local New York theme both in design and product offer. The back wall is divided into the five main M&M’s character colours: Orange, Blue, Green, Yellow and Red; each section with themed gifts, clothing, confectionery and plush. To create a Times Square effect and bring the store to life, TV screens at the top of the back wall show short videos focusing on the personality of each M&M’s character.
A central gondola features Yellow, complete with baseball cap, and Red representing the Statue of Liberty – both seated on an M&M’s branded American flag – creating a photo opportunity. Behind the sales counter, a visual of Orange, Blue and Miss Green against a New York skyline forms a focal spot, noted MITR.
In line with the Paris M&M’s shop, the sales counter and central gondolas are all yellow. To complete the interactive effect, on the left hand side of the store there is a ‘What’s Your Color’ unit which enables shop floor staff to interact with customers as they discover their personality colour, providing an additional sales opportunity, said the brand owner.
Alongside the core M&M’s confectionery range – including the most recent travel retail exclusive items – a USA Notebook and USA Candy dispenser are offered to add local flavour. While the core focus is M&M’s, there is a separated back wall unit featuring other MITR brands such as Snickers, Celebrations, Bounty and more.
“Like our Paris CDG shop, this new store is designed to offer fantastic theatre and fun. We have worked to create an innovative and interactive experience,” said MITR General Manager Craig Sargeant. “We are extremely happy with the result, and the response from travellers in the first few days of opening has been most encouraging.”
DFA President Leon Falic added: “We challenged Mars ITR to come up with a concept that would truly give a sense of place, while enticing travellers to enter our store and purchase these great products. We are delighted with the result: an engaging shopping experience that has immediately proven successful.”
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The store carries a local New York theme, with the M&M’s characters prominent |
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The opening was preceded by two days of training for DFA staff. Sargeant said: “The idea was to give the staff more background information on the M&M’s brand, how to create the best guest experience and to engage the staff with the M&M’s brand. Having the right fixtures and fittings and product assortment is vital, but it is nothing without staff who are properly tuned-in with the brand.”
He concluded: “DFA has been a wonderful partner to work with in the conceptualisation of this store; very open to our aim of engaging more strongly with existing customers and attracting new shoppers to the store. DFA was the first innovative retailer to partner with Mars back in 2011 and we are happy that, after three positive years, we now have a totally refurbished store. Based upon the latest shopper insights, it enables us to continue the successful journey.”
Mars ITR said the opening would boost its category vision launched in Cannes last year around the mantra: “a smiling traveller is a spending traveller”.
MITR said it “has the tools to help the industry to double the category by 2020”, noting its programme of in-store and airport experiences.
