Mars International Travel Retail (MITR) will introduce new category-exclusive launches, including its M&M’s Watch M Collection, at next month’s TFWA Asia Pacific exhibition in Singapore (stand number: N29).
MITR said it has seen strong sales results in the region during the past year. “With a mission to drive growth globally in confectionery sales, these figures highlight that MITR is well under way in achieving its ambition,” the company stated.
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Celebrations Gift Bag: One element in MITR’s drive to stimulate chocolate gifting |
The company plans new shop-in-shop openings in Kuala Lumpur and Taiwan’s Kinmen Islands. MITR is also redeveloping its Singapore Changi Airport M&M’s store, focusing on three elements: innovation, activation and fun. The Changi store will, MITR stated, aim to “captivate travellers, providing them with an element of theatre on their otherwise unadventurous journeys”.
MITR Marketing Director Lieke Duijmelings said: “We have seen high levels of success in this region, and with the planned openings of our new stores, the redevelopment of the Changi store, and our exciting programme of 2014 activations, we are well on track for a very busy and successful year. Each of our new stores aims to entice both adults and children with elements of theatre and excitement. Getting travellers into the stores is our main objective, with confectionery being the most impulse-driven category. If we can attract footfall into the shop, then it is highly likely we can convert them into buyers.”
MITR is continuing to drive its confectionery sales with launches and activations. This summer’s key activity is the release of the Watch M Collection. Focusing on family and informal gifting, this limited edition gwp offer of colourful watches is designed to match the personalities of the M&M’s characters: Red, Yellow, Blue, Green and Orange. Available with every three Maxi M&M’s pouches purchased, and backed with M&Ms POS materials, Duijmelings said the collection aims to build the M&M’s brand as well as increasing in-store sales.
MITR said that customised promotions are key to enabling airport differentiation. MITR offers two such concepts: The Jewels Gift Bag is unique to the Middle East, while the Celebrations Gift Bag holds two jars of the brand’s chocolate assortment.
MITR said the activations are designed to stimulate chocolate gifting, adding that it can work with individual retailers to develop the theme and timing of promotions. “The gift bags are very versatile and can be used for many different seasonal celebrations such as Valentine’s, Chinese New Year, Mother’s Day, Ramadan etc. We can develop the appropriate tag line to suit the occasion – so it creates a point of difference for the retailer while helping travellers to enjoy their seasonal shopping,” Duijmelings said.
The M Book is a gwp offer available with every two Maxi pouches purchased and comes with a range of POS material. The Snickers Shopping Bag gwp aims to further stimulate sales.
MITR will also be showcasing three new lines, all exclusive to travel retail and aimed at the souvenir/destination shopper.
Celebrations Big Sweet is a 310g box designed to represent a giant gift-wrapped chocolate. Customers can choose boxes with one of three appropriate gift tags – heart, gift box or star shaped- allowing them to write their own personal message.
Maltesers Teasers – the most popular chocolate in the Celebrations mix is now available in pouch, sharing bag and bucket formats and M&Ms Wheels Dispenser is a boxed dispenser said to suit shelf display.
Duijmelings concluded: “These new product innovations and renovations, alongside our existing product offer, are complemented by a really exciting programme of activations for this year which we are looking forward to introducing to our clients in Singapore. For us the mission is to capture travellers as they pass through the airport with engaging theatre, fun and excitement.”
