The Johnnie Walker Xordinaire showcase at TFWA Cannes 2023
Following last week’s TFWA World Exhibition & Conference in Cannes, Diageo Global Travel remains excited by the potential of the travel retail space for both brand building and innovation, and is committed to growing and evolving the beverage category within it.
The Diageo Global Travel Category Strategy and brand innovation showcase, located at the Beach Village, demonstrated the vibrancy, depth, versatility and luxuriousness of the alcohol category in travel retail, as it seeks to double in size over the coming years by focusing on four growth pillars: 1. Explore and Discover; 2. Gifting; 3. Making It Special; and 4. Balanced Choices. These pillars are all grounded in the understanding of key consumer occasions, needs and motivations.
Diageo Global Travel celebrated their latest and biggest travel exclusive Johnnie Walker Blue Label Xordinaire, finished in former French XO Cognac casks. The all-new blend has been created using only 1 in 10,000 casks from the unparalleled Johnnie Walker reserves of aged Scotch from across Scotland. A series of Johnnie Walker Blue Label Xordinaire activations are coming to airports around the world over the coming months including Paris, London, Dubai, Taiwan and Hainan.
As part of the activity at this year’s Summit at Cannes Diageo Global Travel hosted a Woman in Travel Retail Plus (WiTR+) networking event, which served to both connect and relaunch WITR+ as it broadens its scope and community, building a platform for engagement and networking.
Alongside this, Diageo hosted an exclusive cocktail party which celebrated Tequila Don Julio 1942 arriving into European travel retail. Following its kick-off event in Heathrow, Diageo decided to celebrate this ultra-premium icon of the tequila category with the whole travel retail community at Cannes, including a live set from music producer and renowned DJ, Kayper. Kayper created the ultimate celebration playlist earlier this summer—Tequila Don Julio 1942 Iconic Sounds of Summer—especially for the brand and its travel retail arrival.
Andrew Cowan, Diageo Global Travel MD said, “We had a very special week with our customers and partners in Cannes, nothing compares to time together. Having the opportunity to tease new ideas and innovations, to build out plans for the year ahead in more detail is just invaluable. Our focus on creating the best consumer experiences with our unrivalled portfolio of brands bringing choice and innovation – and of course exclusives like Johnnie Walker Xordinaire – we were delighted to bring to life at our beachside bar and stand.
“Being able to host our customers at our Don Julio 1942 party on the beach – celebrating Don Julio’s arrival into European Travel Retail for the first time this summer was a fantastic bonus, as was hosting WiTR+ as it relaunches reinforcing its commitment to inclusion and diversity.”
