Business development agency Blue (together with Bacardi Global Travel Retail and Dubai Duty Free) features as one of our three Exhibitors of the Day at the Virtual Travel Retail Expo Buyers & Brands Bonanza Month.
To visit the Blue virtual suite at the Expo click here (note: If you have not registered to attend the Expo, you can do so here free of charge if you are involved in the travel retail sector).
Blue has used the lateral thinking of its international team to propel multiple companies into the travel retail space or accelerate their presence in the channel. Blue’s clients come from a range of sectors from electronics, fashion, accessories, jewellery and food/confectionery, to electronics, disinfection and business intelligence.
Blue is multi-capability driven: extending to distribution and consulting, servicing markets throughout Europe, North America, Middle East and Asia Pacific. Blue boasts an international team based in Copenhagen, Stockholm, New York and co-owned by Karl Walter, Bart Collins, David Tillman, Jacob Oppenheim and Thomas Kaneko Henningsen.
Two years ago, Blue emerged as a separate spin-off entity of Blueprint, a consulting agency founded by Thomas Kaneko Henningsen in 2016. Henningsen commented: “Blueprint is 100% business development consulting and will continue on that trajectory. Blue, however, takes the best from consulting and marries it with distribution. With warehouses in Denmark, Holland and the US, Blue helps companies accelerate their distribution. The hybrid between distribution and consulting, allows clients to choose from a wider range of business models, retail channels and markets, all under one roof. Today, Blueprint and Blue teams work in tandem and provide clients with 360-degree business development.”
Blue Partner Karl Walter said that aside from these hybrid capabilities, Blue offers something else that clients really need – and that is trust. “We are not the biggest agency or even the smartest. Our ambition is to be the most trusted,” he said. “It sounds cliché, but mutual trust is our secret sauce and it is embedded within our teams, and shared with clients. Trust goes a long way in business, and particularly travel retail where personal relationships are mission critical. It matters how we play the game.”
Opportunities, not limitations
“Our job is to see opportunities where others see limitations,” added Blue Partner Jacob Oppenheim. “That’s why the pandemic has boosted our client pipeline. We thrive in a constantly changing retail world and build the strategies required to adapt and become more entrepreneurial, particularly when budgets are constrained.”
Recent examples of creativity during the pandemic include accelerating DAY ET’s travel retail footprint; developing True Gum’s travel retail strategy; helping Intelligent Track Systems engage with airports; introducing ChoraClean disinfection to airport stakeholders; securing Simply Chocolate listing onboard Virgin Voyages’ Scarlet Lady; developing hands-on go-to-market initiatives with GreyLime, Humble Group, Zikko, Wolford, Zippo, Glouv Lab, SkimSafe, Dollbaby London and many more.
The Blue team embraces critical thinking for each client case. “We do not go for a cookie cutter approach. Every client has specific needs and we adapt go-to-market initiatives to each of them. Our direct partners, as well retailers and airport landlords, appreciate the tailor-made approach as it reinforces trust.” added Blue Partner Bart Collins.
Of the agency, Jacob Harbo Olsen, Global Travel Retail Manager at Simply Chocolate, commented: “These guys play a significant role in our travel retail business approach, assisting with strategy development and helping secure partnerships with Harding and Virgin Voyages. In a challenging market it is great to leverage their creative and pragmatic approach.”
IntelligentTrack Systems CEO Morten Pankoke said: “We have implemented our intelligent trolleys at San Diego Airport, an industry first! Intelligent trollies positively impact travellers’ spend and satisfaction while tracking their shopping behaviour. Blue successfully implements trollies on-site, manages airport stakeholders and onboards our local team. Not exactly an easy task given the many moving parts. That’s why we require a partner like Blue that is committed, effective and pragmatic.”
DAY ET Co-CEO Tine Raahauge said: “We teamed up with Blue to help us unlock travel retail globally. Blue’s highly diversified capabilities and 360-degree business development approach allow us to further develop expansion strategy, display concept, store operations and commercial negotiations. This helps strengthen partnerships with Heinemann, DFDS, Scandlines, Color Line, Viking Line and Copenhagen Airport where we operate our own store.”
True Gum CSO Morten Ebdrup commented: “True Gum is committed to social responsibility. We offer travellers all-natural gum, mints, cough remedy and have tasked Blue with accelerating our travel retail footprint. Blue’s multi-capability approach makes them a strong fit for True Gum along with their passion for helping companies with a green agenda.
Imagination takes you everywhere
Blue has created a list of services from which clients can cherry pick what they want and need, in the knowledge that each service has expertise available from its international team.
“Blue does not offer anything that we can’t deliver to a very high standard,” said Blue Partner David Tillman. “Because we are multi-channel, we help clients extract best practice from for example ecommerce and inject those learnings into their travel retail business and vice versa. We live in an age of information overload. Data is great, but using it well is how to unlock growth and steer the right course. Information can take you so far, but imagination takes you everywhere,” Tillman added.
Blue helps companies with:
– Distributing products
– Facilitating online and offline retail expansion
– Designing and implementing webshops
– Driving new business pipeline
– Developing and implementing go-to-market strategies
– Accelerating travel retail sales
– Sparring with leadership
– Facilitating business development workshops
– Optimising retail operations
– Handling commercial negotiations
– Vetting brand marketing
– Leading product and packaging development
– Implementing account management
– Supporting start-ups
For further information on Blue’s services please contact: Thomas Kaneko Henningsen
Virtual highlights
- Blue is showcasing its BioMiracle, Cloudz, Day ET, Dollbaby, Humble Group, GreyLine, Intelligtent Track System, LeMasque, Simply Chocolate, SkimSafe, Tactika, True Gum and Zikko Clients at its Experience Room.
- Blue is putting special focus on IntelligentTrack Systems which has launched a digital personal assistant of the same name for use by air travellers as an information gateway between check-in and departure gates
Where: Digital, Innovation & Services Zone
Wayfinding (you must be registered first) https://event.virtualtrexpo.com/login/?exhibition_type=exhibitionpavilion&room_id=teamblue
Blue’s timeline is short, but rich in achievement 2016 2019 2020 Present |
