ARI hails success of ‘Joy on Your Way’ visual identity
A garden-themed activation at ARI’s duty free store in Montreal, Canada, combines 11 different brands across four retail categories to celebrate the feeling of joy
ARI is hailing the success of its 'Joy on Your Way' visual identity and rebranding, underlining key strategies to ensure engagement with Gen Z consumers.
According to Katherine Sullivan, Head of Marketing and Visual Merchandising at ARI North America, ‘Joy on Your Way’ is “not just a tagline that we put on the wall”. “Within the company, it has become something that we live every day, and we are trying to bring it to every level of the business,” she says.
“As ARI, we're not necessarily the biggest operator, but that is to our advantage because it means that we have to be a little bit more hands-on, we have to be more flexible, and we get to be a lot more creative.”
Katherine Sullivan, Head of Marketing and Visual Merchandising at ARI North America
The ‘Joy on Your Way Approach’
In marketing, Sullivan says the Joy on Your Way approach has helped reframe new ideas and initiatives. “We start the conversation with ‘What joy is this going to bring to the passenger?’. And if it isn't, how can we make this promotion simpler? How can we make this display a little more shoppable or more convenient? Should we add a tasting or bring in some music or maybe let's turn this into a game, offer a discount or add a gift? Airports at their core can be a stressful experience and we want our stores to really be that joyful oasis in that airport hustle and bustle. We've started to make joy part of our entire mindset here at ARI.”
This approach, Sullivan says, has already impacted customer experience and led to successful cross-category activations involving 11 brands across four categories and promotions and local branding based on comments from customers.
She highlights the key role that sense of place plays in ARI stores which are encouraged to display their own unique identities using local landmarks in branding to encourage customer interaction.
Sullivan details how, in Montreal for example, the store used the city’s Jacques Cartier Bridge – one of many which connects the island of Montreal to the rest of the world – in its rebranding. “We liked that as an image it’s not only a landmark for the city but also offers the idea of connecting people, the same way that an airport connects people. Logoed walls in the stores encouraged interaction with people as they stopped for selfies. It is all part of the experience we bring to people,” she says.
She also mentions how a chance conversation with a German vacationer on the shop floor – “that’s where the magic happens” – led to a colorful store makeover to feature the colors of fall, the reason why the woman was visiting Canada. “It always helps to talk to people,” Sullivan adds.
ARI training and its Gen Z strategy
A new training module – with Joy on Your Way at its heart – has been embraced across the ARI network and across all levels, from management to the shop floor. According to Sullivan, that training program has increased overall awareness of brands and how they can be promoted.
ARI’s approach to Gen Z traveling consumers is also industry leading, she says, detailing research results and adding that ARI is employing Gen Zs as sales staff.
“Gen Z customers are looking for a unique experience, in travel but also in travel retail. They are looking for something different, an authentic souvenir that they can’t get anywhere else. And they are also looking for personalization. That allows us to add a little bit of fun to their experience in store, to heighten that authenticity, to give them that special gift they're buying or that self-treat item they're looking for.
“We’ve noticed that Gen Zs currently engage mostly with our confectionery and perfume departments. So that's naturally where the personalization should start, with engravings on perfume bottles and messages or names on confectionery to add a personal touch,” she explains.
With the evolution of technology, Sullivan believes ARI and its brand partners will look to personalizing skin care, based on a customer’s skin type. “With AI, we should be able to tailor a complete basket for customers, curate products and make that discovery process in our stores even more convenient.
“Travel retail is a great place for this because often we have a little more time with our customers and personalization allows us to give Gen Z or younger customers that unique experience they are looking for. It allows us to truly engage with the new generation of travelers,” she says.
Sullivan has two Gen Zs on her marketing team. “They are my go-to people, my sounding board when it comes to this age group. And we are starting to see that whole generation now as employees not just as customers,” she concludes.
.jpg?&resize.width=322&resize.height=483)
