Pernod Ricard GTR connects the dots between pre-trip PAX planning and campaign strategies
The Glenlivet Groundbreaker Collection launched as a Changi first in October
Pernod Ricard Travel Retail is more focused on traveler preferences than ever before. The company’s latest strategy – across its portfolio of spirits brands such as Martell, Absolut, Royal Salute, Jameson and Chivas Regal – is to connect the dots for consumer touchpoints and to engage travelers throughout their trip and beyond.
“We are traveler obsessed,” Pernod Ricard GTR’s Marketing Acceleration Director, Katie Gee told Global Travel Retail Magazine at TFWA World Exhibition & Conference in Cannes. “We prioritize our top nine nationalities through our research into demand spaces and what products work for the right nationality, and what they're looking for in the right moment or mission."
Pernod Ricard releases around 45 new products per year of which 15 are GTR exclusives, said Gee. “Innovation is a key driver for us in the channel. We want to offer something that's premium. Moving away from that price comparison, to give the traveler something exclusive, a better liquid or unique packaging,” she explained.
The first release for The Glenlivet Groundbreaker Collection was called Chapter One: The Journey Inward – a partnership with renowned artist Red Hong Yi, known as ‘The Artist Who Paints Without A Brush’
The Glenlivet
This year, Pernod Ricard GTR is celebrating The Glenlivet’s 200th anniversary, corresponding with malts being identified as “a big acceleration category” for the company, according to Gee.
One channel focus is The Glenlivet Groundbreaker Collection, the newly launched series of Speyside single malts that celebrate creatives who, through travel, have set new standards in their artistic craft. Described as more consumer-centric than before, the collection debuted at Changi Airport with a pop-up in partnership with Lotte Duty Free running October through November. “We wanted to really hero this product with the Changi first opportunity,” she stated.
At the end of the year, The Glenlivet will launch 40-year-old and 55-year-old ‘ultra-prestige’ aged expressions that target higher-spending HNWIs (Ultra-High-Net-Worth Individuals). “We know these travelers are looking for premium, prestige and ultra-prestige exclusives and we want to focus on rare, aged products that tap into this demand,” she said.
The search dynamic
To counter declining footfall in duty free stores, Gee highlighted earlier communications across the search experience itself will be key.
“We have found travelers use about 10 touch points overall and it's quite evenly spread between pre-trip, in-store and in the airport. Search continues to be one of the key tools travelers are using and, we want to delve into that even more,” she explained.
Finding the right way to talk to travelers via collaborative retailer promotions is one aspect Gee is looking at. “We want the brand message to be already there when the traveler is at the right point; search is one of the strongest touchpoints, however consumers don’t always know the name of the duty free retailer,” she added.
The Jameson 'Arrive Like a Local' campaign has been extended and rolled out globally to nine cities
Connecting the dots
For its Jameson 'Arrive Like a Local' campaign in 2023, Pernod Ricard GTR partnered with TripAdvisor, which offered detailed insights on traveler behavior in destination. A year later the campaign was upgraded and rolled out to over 36 airports worldwide as an omnichannel campaign called Jameson Passport and powered by AI learning and Visa payment technology. Travelers who used the Jameson Passport after a purchase in duty free could claim their complimentary cocktail in 2,000+ select bars across nine global cities.
The evolution of this campaign was a learning curve that can be applied to other brands in the portfolio, suggests Gee. “We want to connect our brands with travelers across borders. We are looking for campaigns we can activate in more than one market. So, what Jameson Passport did was show how we can roll out an offer that allows the customer to buy a bottle of spirits and then have a voucher they can redeem across: ‘whatever you want, wherever you go, for your next trip’.”
Aligning on a digital gift-with-purchase in multiple airport locations was key for Gee’s strategy to be more global and think about giving the consumer something of value they don't have to carry, something they we will use. And a voucher for a drink in a bar is always a good idea.
“We are also using another type of data partner, because the travel retail trinity is there for everybody to share data, but it's challenging. That's why we see more opportunities to join the dots for these kind of partnerships moving forward,” she added.
