Introduction: In this guest column, Victorinox Head of Global Travel Retail & Fragrance Sales Gloria Dix highlights the power of Victorinox’s multi-category portfolio and explores how lifestyle brands can become an indispensable part of consumers’ lives.
Dix discusses the brand’s partnership with SWISS Airlines, Sorell Hotels Switzerland and various Swiss tourism boards, which drive Victorinox’s brand equity and promote Swiss roots. She also previews an ongoing ooh media campaign at Zürich Airport and various other European Airports as Victorinox continues on its mission to connect with travellers at every point of their journeys.
Successful lifestyle brands leverage their identity and products to become an indispensable part of the consumer’s way of life. Lifestyle brands are effective because they form an emotional connection with consumers by inspiring, guiding and motivating them. They not only understand the experiences that their audience craves, as well as the people, things, and places that inspire them, but they live and breathe these same qualities.
The emotional connection between Victorinox and its loyal customer base is authentic. We make products for them and they choose our products because they can rely on the excellent quality and iconic design. Many of our consumers remember their first Victorinox purchase and it is often one that will accompany them on life’s adventures for many years to come.
For many, travel can be an emotional experience filled not only with adventure but also rituals. Victorinox, with its dynamic multi-category product portfolio, aims to support consumers at all touchpoints of their journey – from when they are preparing to pack at home right through to their end destination.
Victorinox’s practical solutions such as packing cubes, Pakmaster and luggage lines – which must pass 30 quality tests before entering the portfolio – help to optimise space in both carry-on and checked baggage. Consumers can also find handy packing tips for short and long trips on both Victorinox’s website and social media channels. All this enables our consumers to enjoy a seamless packing experience and stress-free lead up to their trip.
From now until October, upon arrival at the airport, we are targeting travellers with an eye-catching out-of-home (OOH) campaign at our home airport in Zürich as well as Hamburg and Munich airports. The campaign features huge billboard and digital screen advertising – inside and outside the airports – that highlights the Spectra 3.0 Travel Gear range and Classic Colors Swiss Army Knife range. Advertising in these high traffic locations ensures Victorinox is front and centre in people’s minds and raises brand awareness in key European cities during the peak summer travel period.
Once inside the airport, travellers can explore Victorinox’s engaging, tailored duty free product assortment in our standalone stores and shop-in-shops. Here, travellers can either purchase a last-minute travel essential such as a wallet or backpack or our chocolate knife novelty as a souvenir, or discover our watches and fragrance lines.
Our standalone stores are the ultimate expression of Victorinox, representing the brand’s core values of functionality, innovation, quality and design, and offer a product range tailored to travellers. Meanwhile our shop-in-shops and branded corners offer a compact introduction to the brand and our best-selling ranges.
The traveller engagement continues inflight, where our amenity kits onboard Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) aim to provide business class travellers on intercontinental flights with an enhanced inflight experience. In partnership with SWISS, Victorinox created a collection of six amenity kits – in the style of packing cubes and gift boxes – for use onboard at different periods.
In keeping with Victorinox’s functional approach, the collection was specifically designed so that all the kits are reusable and can partially be combined. The light and compact packing cube kits are inspired by our Accessories Edge line and feature a zippered pouch attached to their interior for storing small items. The sturdy, stylish gift box amenity kits are inspired by our iconic luggage lines Spectra 3.0 and Airox.
The final leg of the traveller journey – either upon arrival at the hotel or onboard the cruise ship – represents the important final stage in traveller journey where we connect with consumers. In keeping with Victorinox’s goal to offer a seamless customer experience and to create products that support consumers’ everyday lifestyle, Victorinox announced a partnership with Sorell Hotels Switzerland in 2021.
The collaboration means that guests in nine Sorrell hotels have access to Victorinox’s Altmont Original Slimline Laptop Backpack. Guests can use the backpack during their stay and even purchase it at the end.
We are also proud of our partnerships with various Swiss tourism boards, including Schweiz Tourismus, Andermatt and Zermatt Tourismus. All these collaborations serve as important platforms to reach tourists from around the world and generate awareness of Victorinox as a lifestyle brand.
With travel retail being the first introduction of the Victorinox brand to many consumers globally, it is important that we keep growing and investing in this channel with the aim to build brand awareness and offering consumers more opportunities to engage with Victorinox wherever they are. ✈
