Drinks giant Diageo and global icon, David Beckham received international travel retail and drinks journalists in Cannes to talk about the global travel retail roll-out of Beckham and Simon Fuller’s single grain Scotch whisky, Haig Club.

 

As previously reported, following a month-long exclusive in conjunction with DFS at Singapore’s Changi Airport, Diageo GTME commenced the GTR roll-out earlier this month. At the time, David Beckham (pictured below) actually flew to Changi Airport to meet global ambassadors (much to their delight) in an effort to prove that his commitment to the brand and the new product is authentic and genuine. After meeting with the former professional footballing star today, it was clear that he has lofty ambitions for Haig Club.

 

He admitted that he would not class himself as a whisky expert, but is nonetheless passionate about the category after memories of his grandfather, drinking Dimple Haig whisky – on special occasions – sparked an interest at an early age.

 

When asked by TRBusiness, how important he thinks the travel retail market is to any brand launching a new product, David Beckham said: “I was very proud to get on the plane [a couple of weeks ago on a trip to LA] and pick up the travel retail book and see our whisky…that was something I was very proud of and then I thought ‘imagine the amount of people who have actually seen this’.

 

 

BECKHAM: ‘INVOLVED AT EVERY STEP’

“I think that’s why the installations in Changi were so important to me and to Diageo. It’s not something that we’re lying about, you know. I have been involved in every single step of this from the liquid to the packaging to the bottle to the installations.

 

“It’s something that I really believe in. That’s why I did fly over all the way to Singapore…because I thought that it was really important for me to see the hard work that’s gone into these installations and to make sure that they’re right because this is what is going to make this liquid, this project successful. It’s something that I’ve always believed in.”

 

TRBusiness Deputy Editor and the man himself.

 

Doug Bagley, Diageo Global Travel and Middle East (GTME), followed directly on from Beckham’s comments in answering TRBusiness’ questions: “In travel retail, we get the opportunity, with something like this, which is new and innovative, to actually talk and explain it to people; to put liquid on lips and get them to try it and you don’t get that opportunity in many channels so I think that’s why it’s a great opportunity for us.”

 

The immersive activation (mentioned by Beckham above) starring the distinguished Royal blue square bottle and the newly unveiled campaign advertising featuring Beckham and shot by Peter Lindbergh, invited travellers to be among the first in the world to taste Haig Club (ABV 40%), which has been created by Master Distiller Chris Clark and crafted at Cameronbridge, Scotland’s oldest grain distillery.

 

THREE-BARREL MATURATION

From this month the ‘distinctive and sophisticated’ new whisky will be available for travellers to purchase in selected duty free stores and on selected airlines. Included in the first phase roll-out are the following airports: Singapore, Frankfurt, Tel Aviv, Dubai Duty Free, Heathrow, Mexico, Muscat, Incheon, Shanghai and Auckland.

 

Created by Master Blender Chris Clark, Diageo told journalists that Haig Club is the result of carefully selecting mature whisky from refill, American oak and rejuvenated casks to produce a single grain Scotch ‘with a fresh, clean style, showcasing butterscotch-smooth tropical fruit and unexpected, spicy backing harmonies. It has an ABV of 40%’. The recommended retail price for Haig Club in duty free is £40 GBP / $62.5USD for a 70cl bottle.

 

Bagley revealed that Diageo hopes to recruit new customers with ‘lighter and more delicate’ liquid, possibly enticing more women into the category. With Beckham at the helm it would be hardly surprising if this indeed was the result…