DENMARK. Prada Beauty (L’Oréal) has unveiled a landmark ‘Pentarchy’ (fivefold) Christmas activation at Copenhagen Airport in partnership with Gebr. Heinemann, Copenhagen Airport, SAS and Bauer Media Group.
The campaign is centred on L’Oréal Travel Retail’s Pentarchy approach to partnerships, involving the retailer, airport, OOH operator and airline.
The Copenhagen activation, which runs throughout December, offers a multi-touchpoint experience that blends Prada’s modernist aesthetic with seasonal storytelling and retail theatre.
According to L’Oréal Travel Retail, the Prada Beauty campaign breaks down traditional silos between airline, airport, retailer and media owner to create “a seamless traveller journey, from pre-trip planning to immersive in-airport touchpoints”.
The omnichannel campaign was designed to enhance visibility and engagement and drive conversion during the peak holiday travel period.
According to L’Oréal, the campaign is already generating +27% more footfall than classic pop-ups and a +16% uplift in perfumes & cosmetics traffic at Copenhagen Airport. Average dwell time has reached eight minutes in store, underlining the combined activation’s ability to capture attention in a time-pressured airport environment.
The campaign is centred on a hero pop-up within the Heinemann Duty Free store, where Prada Beauty’s ‘Holiday Magic Tale’ comes to life. The space features Prada’s modernist design codes with a focus on the brand’s Soft Robot mascot and a statement Christmas tree.
The pop-up showcases the full Prada Beauty portfolio across fragrances, makeup and skincare. Product highlights include the latest masculine launch Prada Paradigme, the feminine fragrance pillar Paradoxe and the brand’s signature lip balms. In addition, selected fragrance purchases can be personalised with bespoke patterns, reinforcing gifting appeal.
At the animation, travellers are invited to capture festive photo souvenirs in a Prada Photo Booth alongside the Prada Soft Robot. They can also shop an exclusive selection of holiday gifts, including Prada Beauty Christmas ornaments presented in the brand’s distinctive seasonal patterns.
The Prada Beauty holiday experience extends outside the duty-free store through a takeover of Copenhagen Airport’s central Christmas tree. Reimagined by Prada Beauty with stylish ornaments and a prominent appearance by the Prada Soft Robot, the Christmas Tree engages travellers in a final festive brand moment before their flights.
The activation is supported by a targeted digital and OOH media campaign. Leveraging airline SAS’s CRM database alongside advanced Meta targeting tools, Prada Beauty is offering personalised recommendations to confirmed travellers, tailored by nationality and gender.
Influencer collaborations further amplify the campaign, building anticipation ahead of travel and extending awareness beyond the airport.
In addition, a large-scale media takeover by Bauer Media Group guides travellers towards the central pop-up podium with digital screens presenting dynamic festive content.
This is supported by complementary paid media activity across Meta and TikTok to deliver consistent brand communication across online and offline touchpoints.
Gebr. Heinemann CCO Inken Callsen commented: “From the very beginning, we at Gebr. Heinemann were excited to shape and bring this unique initiative to life with five strong partners. The Prada activation at Copenhagen Airport truly demonstrates the strategic power of the Pentarchy model.
“We created a connected journey that blends data-driven personalisation with immersive touchpoints – making every step more engaging, convenient and memorable for passengers. Our longstanding partnership and outstanding collaboration with L’Oréal have been key to this success.”
Gebr. Heinemann Director Purchasing Beauty Britta Hoffmann added: “Through targeted storytelling combined with a festive and elevated brand universe, we designed a seamless experience that strengthens engagement and conversion during the peak holiday season. The Prada activation in Copenhagen illustrates how Pentarchy unlocks new potential for the beauty category in travel retail.”
L’Oréal Travel Retail General Manager of Couture Brands YSL Beauty, Miu Miu Beauty and Prada Beauty Simon De Gaullier Des Bordes commented: “In a beauty ecosystem where consumers move seamlessly from one channel to another, the future of travel retail belongs to brands that collaborate and innovate to deliver end-to-end consumer journeys — journeys that are consistent, immersive, and anchored in a strong sense of place and time.
“Only by creating truly exciting and memorable experiences can we grow awareness, engagement and conversion. We are honoured that Prada Beauty is at the forefront of this pioneering Pentarchy collaboration in Copenhagen — a partnership that sets a new standard for brand engagement and continues to shape the future of travel retail.” ✈
