Travellers passing through Dubai Airport last November found a new way to ‘fill time beautifully’, cigar company Davidoff reports, revealing details of its latest promotional campaign.

 

Supporting the launch of the brand’s Nicaragua line, nine of the airport’s duty free shops (six in Departure, three in Arrivals), took part in the campaign which included a giant light box installation, a sensory display area, dedicated expert advisors and a scratch card competition.

Inviting cigar aficionados to ‘Explore, Adventure and Discover’, the light boxes, located either side of the concourse, depicted a Davidoff cigar against a detailed map of the spectacular Nicaraguan mountains. Many travellers stopped to have their photographs taken and the installation featured in Dubai Duty Free Magazine.

An attractive promotional site outside of the cigar area on CB Promo Site B2 succeeded in drawing in both existing aficionados and smokers new to cigars.

 

Triangular perspex boxes displayed the Diadema, Primeros and Primeros Maduro cigars on beds of rich coffee beans and slabs of bitter, dark chocolate, conjuring up a sense of the native, luxurious flavours that enhance the Nicaraguan tobacco.

Local agency staff were recruited to support the execution, each boasting excellent knowledge of the brand, to work at the sites alongside Davidoff’s permanent team.

Opportunities to win Davidoff accessories such as a Nicaragua humidor, jet-flame lighter or Nicaragua travel tube were offered via a scratch card competition, and delighted winners happily posed for promotional photographs with their prizes.

 

 

As an indication of customer satisfaction, sales of the Nicaragua line at Dubai Airport rose sharply to four times the average sales between January and October last year. November YOY sales soared by 20% and the Nicaragua line represented 29% of overall sales in November with accessories also growing by 54%.

Continuing the brand awareness and affinity campaign, Davidoff pushed the promotion into Gebr Heinemann’s duty free stores in Frankfurt (December – pictured above) and Istanbul (January 2015).