How to infuse curiosity into experiential marketing campaigns
In a saturated gin market, Hendrick’s retains a significant point of difference and market share with its ‘Cabinet of Curiosities’ collection of limited edition and global travel retail (GTR) exclusive gins.
Launching their latest exclusive liquid, Hendrick’s Amazonia, in GTR needed an activation that was as adventurous, theatrical and curious as their brand to captivate travellers passing through duty free.
Knowledge
When it comes to travel retail we’re, well – well travelled. And we know better than most how competitive duty free is, with 49% of purchases made as a direct result of the quality of the in-store experiences. For brands that want to stand out from competitors, simply being present is not enough to convert into sales. They must produce something truly outstanding to stop and engage hurried, distracted travellers in their tracks.
Judgement
Blending in is never an option for a brand as peculiar as Hendrick’s, and our creative brilliance and exceptional execution was the key to boldly launching their exotic Amazonia gin in GTR. We looked at the current landscape in duty free, at what other brands were doing, and how Hendrick’s Amazonia could bring travellers on a journey of product discovery. This knowledge informed our compelling new messaging proposition and brand launch strategy spanning multiple countries.
Understanding
In our experience, style without substance is rarely enough to convert in GTR. We collaborated with Hendrick’s’ Master Distiller to pinpoint the most compelling elements of Amazonia’s rich brand story, which would flourish in duty free. Grounded in a quest for new botanicals through the Amazon Rainforest, exploring the tropical wildlife and sensory environment, led us to an execution that transported travellers to another world, while bringing to life Hendrick’s role in protecting the planet. A crucial priority for environmentally conscious customers.
Action
Expanding the limits of what’s possible in duty free, our curious creatives and peerless production experts distilled the essence of Hendrick’s Amazonia into an immersive destination and multi-tiered experience for every sense. Rainforest foliage, jungle sounds, tactile props, inviting aromas, spirit sampling with trained ambassadors, and a partnership with the One Tree Planted Amazon reforestation scheme brought the brand ethos to life across 65 retail activations. All supported by digital ads away from the activation.
Learning
Blending Hendrick’s exclusive liquid, exciting brand story and ethical partnership with One Tree Planted landed our adventurous launch campaign a place as finalist for the DFNI Frontier Awards Campaign of the Year, and Sustainability Initiative of the Year 2021 Frontier Awards in Cannes. Set against the backdrop of 2020’s pandemic restrictions and lockdowns, our already nimble team adapted to become even more agile as we helped Hendrick’s navigate the ever-shifting regulations across multiple countries. Some called it a miracle, we know it was down to our decades of hard-earned, hard-learned expertise.
