To celebrate ‘World Cucumber Day’ Hendrick’s brand-owner, William Grant & Sons, has shown its commitment to the ‘unusual’ in building global attention for the super-premium gin, which is infused with cucumber and rose.

 

The global campaign, themed ‘Cultivate the Unusual’, invited consumers to take part in a World Cucumber Day experiment, based on scientific evidence that shows cucumbers respond best to outside stimuli including music, perfumes and being protected by mini ‘sleeping bags’, producing larger, juicer and tastier fruits.

 

It’s believed that thousands of green-fingered enthusiasts worldwide have taken part in the experiment, either growing their own cucumber or adopting a cucumber virtually through Facebook (http://m.me/CucumberAdoptionService).

 

The campaign – promoted via Hendrick’s own digital channels, YouTube (https://youtu.be/aJBcvo408nI), Facebook and Instagram has also relied extensively on activations through Global Travel Retail, running in key locations both in the build up to World Cucumber Day and post today’s celebrations.

 

THEATRE AT THE AIRPORT

WGS has worked particularly closely with airport retailers including Aer Rianta International, DFS, Heinemann, King Power and Lagardère Travel Retail to bring the campaign to life using a combination of tasting bars, ‘hot houses’, branding, promoters, gifts, botanic seed trays, and theatre pieces including ‘the Hendrick’s Cucumber Crank’.

 

Additionally, smaller scale activations have taken place at industry and internal events, while WGS has partnered with Harding Retail to hold an ‘international gin day’ on its cruise ships.

 

Activations kicked off in May at various locations including Changi T1, Singapore, with DFS, Kingpower at Suvarnabhumi airport, Bangkok, with Lagardère Travel Retail in Luton and ARI in Dublin T2, continuing to run throughout June.

 

Retailers provided their testimonials for the brand, including Paul Hunnisett, ARI Global Head of Liquor, Tobacco, Confectionery and Fine Foods, who said: “Gin has enjoyed a huge surge in popularity in The Loop, Dublin Airport in recent years, driven in no small part by Hendrick’s unusual and wondrous activations that our customers love.

 

“It’s what makes this gin such an iconic brand. World Cucumber Day is yet another really ‘cool’ idea that has been very well received in our Dublin stores.”

 

‘QUIRKY, FUN AND TOTALLY MAD’

Ann-Kathrin Fürer, Head of Activity Management at Gebr. Heinemann, added: “We’ve been delighted to partner with William Grant & Sons for World Cucumber Day; the travel retail team can always be relied upon to come up with truly stand out activations – quirky, unusual, fun and totally mad and eccentric.

 

 

“We’ve supported the campaign whole-heartedly, including featuring the June Frankfurt event on our own social media platforms, inviting travellers to take part in our Hendrick’s World Cucumber Experiment at the A+A-Main Schengen Tasting Bar.“

 

As these are current promotions, it is still early days for sales data. However, William Grant & Sons Head of Marketing, GTR, Ifan Jenkins, reports impressive growth in London and Ireland. “We know that in Luton sales were up by 35% at the end of May and in Dublin sales of Hendrick’s doubled in the first two weeks.

 

 

“For William Grant & Sons, World Cucumber Day has enabled us to appeal not only to existing fans – giving them a unique and fun way to interact with Hendrick’s, but also to invite new audiences into our peculiarly unusual brand world.

 

“World Cucumber Day has been a global campaign for Hendrick’s but Global Travel Retail has undoubtedly played a key and vital role in spreading the word to consumers, yet again proving the value and importance of this distribution channel.”

 

ALTERNATIVE GARDENING METHODS

During the campaign, consumers have been encouraged to sing to their fruits or read classical literature to young seedlings at night, with added cultivation tips.

 

“We appreciate that the extraordinary bonds gardeners will have formed with their cucumber may make harvesting today a somewhat emotional experience,” adds Jenkins.

 

“Nevertheless, we are sure the pure joy of enjoying said cucumber in its rightful place – as a garnish in a Hendrick’s gin and tonic – will more than compensate for any sense of loss.”