Diageo Global Travel alongside partners from Dufry, Heathrow Airport and JCDecaux UK celebrated the launch of a new ‘immersive tasting and gifting experience’ for Johnnie Walker Blue Label at London Heathrow Terminal 5 on Tuesday 31 May.

 

Select travel retail media, including TRBusiness, and a group of key stakeholders from Diageo, Dufry, Heathrow and JCDecaux UK, were in attendance for the unveiling of the installation this morning, which promises to open up ‘the electrifying world of disruptive luxury’ to a new generation of whisky drinkers.

 

VIP guests included: Nick Cook, General Manager Europe & Americas, Diageo Global Travel; John Williams, Diageo Global Scotch Director; Fraser Brown, Heathrow Retail & Property Director; Eve Fifer, Commercial Director, World Duty Free of Dufry (UK) and Helena Kavanagh, Chief Partnership Officer, JCDecaux.

 

This was the first opportunity for members of the trade media to explore the new pop-up and interact with the various features.

 

GLOBAL PREMIERE: SOON TO BE REPLICATED

Cook addressed VIP guests in a luxury private lounge at Heathrow this morning, stating that this new activity is a first for Diageo in travel retail, but will not be the last, as he revealed that it will be replicated at Incheon International Airport in Seoul, Changi Airport in Singapore and Dubai International Airport.

 

Williams also addressed guests at Heathrow, sharing that the new pop-up was an example of ‘the electrifying world of disruptive luxury’ that the company is striving to create, as Diageo ‘re-launches’ the JW Blue Label brand in travel retail; putting investment and renewed focus behind it in 2022.

 

Helping to convey a new era for JW Blue Label, the centrepiece of the new installation is a bespoke sampling bar, enticing travellers to discover ‘the unparalleled depth of flavour’ of the renowned liquid.

 

“Consumers can enjoy the flavours of this transformative liquid through an immersive experience, aided by the LCD display back-wall and surround sound headphones,” added Diageo.

 

ADDING THE PERSONAL TOUCH

The space also features a gifting station which offers a personal touch, including gift wrapping and personalised luggage tags, ‘positioning Johnnie Walker as the perfect gift, whether that be for yourself to enjoy responsibly or for a special loved one’, added Diageo.

 

A selection of whiskies from the Johnnie Walker brand will join Blue Label on display at the pop-up during June and will be supported by an impactful media campaign played on digital screens along the passenger journey at Heathrow Terminal 5, from the point of check in.

 

The activity at Dubai, Changi and Seoul airports over June and July, will also be supported by high impact media campaigns.

 

HEATHROW T2 AND T3 SHOP-IN-SHOPS 

Additionally, two new Johnnie Walker Shop-In-Shops are set to open in Heathrow T2 and T3 in Summer 2022.

 

Nick Cook, General Manager Europe & Americas, Diageo Global Travel, said: “I would like to thank our partners at Dufry, Heathrow and JCDecaux UK for this collaboration. We are thrilled to start the roll out of this new brand world for Johnnie Walker Blue Label at Heathrow’s Terminal 5.

“The luxury consumer base in the travel retail industry is a key growth driver for the channel so we’re delighted to bring a luxury icon such as Johnnie Walker Blue Label to the table. We understand shoppers expect outstanding service, attention to detail and premium gifting solutions and we have worked closely with our partner agencies at Bulletproof and Circle Square to bring these ambitions to life through the pop-up experience.

 

“Gifting is a key pillar of our pioneering Category Strategy and our commitment to creating a stronger travel retail industry. We’re pleased to be able to provide our shoppers with this latest premium gifting service from this much-loved brand.”

 

FOR A NEW GENERATION OF WHISKY DRINKERS

John Williams, Diageo Global Scotch Director, added: “This brand new concept is part of our wider global strategy for Johnnie Walker Blue Label, opening up an electrifying world of disruptive luxury for consumers to experience for themselves.

 

“We are striding forward and engaging with a new generation of whisky drinkers and I’m delighted to see the brand’s luxury heritage being brought to life this way. It’s important to us that shoppers can discover the true depths of flavour this iconic brand has to offer.”

Speaking on behalf of Dufry, Fred Creighton, CEO for the UK said: “Across our business we constantly strive to deliver innovative and engaging experiences in our stores for customers.  This exciting and immersive activation does just that.  We are delighted to work in close partnership with Heathrow, Diageo and JCDecaux UK to create this striking new pop-up space for a truly iconic brand.”

 

Fraser Brown, Retail & Property Director at Heathrow Airport said; “I am proud that we are launching another quaternity – a four way partnership between Heathrow, Diageo, Dufry and JCDecaux UK – to bring this new immersive experience to the airport, so our shoppers can explore the luxury world of an iconic brand such as Johnnie Walker Blue Label, particularly ahead of the summer period.

 

REDEFINING PRESTIGE AND LUXURY

“We’re committed to offering our shoppers these unique luxury experiences whilst also educating them on responsible drinking, like Diageo’s Lounge 0.0% at Heathrow and the One Too Many campaign, to maintain a safe and enjoyable drinking environment at the airport for our passengers.”

 

Helena Kavanagh, Chief Partnership Officer at JCDecaux UK concluded; “As air travel returns to pre-pandemic levels, the airport continues to define prestige and luxury, making it ideally suited to the creative vision of Diageo Global Travel – who are using the combination of digital, data and great design to bring their message to the powerful and influential airport audience.

 

“Using the impact of iconic digital out-of-home media such as The Towers, alongside Digital Airport Panels (DAPs) that accompany the passenger journey throughout the airport as well as the immersive experiential hub creates an exceptional brand experience and extends the opportunity for customers to purchase Johnnie Walker Blue Label at Heathrow.”

 

The activation is now live in the World Duty Free store in Heathrow Terminal 5 until 19 June 2022.