Halewood ramps up travel retail strategy

Whitley Neill Gin and Dead Man’s Fingers rum will star in a global travel retail (GTR) push by Halewood Artisanal Spirits.

At key airports in the UK, activations for both brands will launch from April as part of Halewood’s partnerships with duty free retailers Avolta, Lagardère, Heinemann and ARI.

Eamon Prunty, Halewood Artisanal Spirits global travel retail director, said: “Our activations provide the perfect opportunity for consumers to experience our latest innovations and best-sellers in an exciting and interactive way.

“As always our main ambition is to get liquid on lips through tastings, supported by bold impactful displays that reflect the colours of the various brand flavours.”

Whitley Neill Gin is said to be the number-one premium flavoured gin in GTR, while Halewood believes Dead Man’s Fingers will also appeal to a wide range of travellers, particularly with the Gen Z demographic.

On the activation front – which will run throughout  summer – pop-ups for both brands featuring digital pillars and screens, tasting bars and merchandising units, will be at the following airports: London Heathrow, London Gatwick, Birmingham, Liverpool, Bristol, and London Stansted.

Taking to the sea, activities with P&O Ferries will also take place.

For the ‘Lift & Learn’ digital experience, the interactive display will see consumers choose a flavour from a range and insert it into a dedicated slot on a podium that will then trigger more product information to appear on adjacent digital screens. The experience will be available at select airports.

Of this, Prunty said: “We want to connect with consumers in a fun and engaging way whilst being informative too, and our Lift & Learn experience allows consumers to explore the various flavours in a dynamic and engaging environment.”

The activations will also support both brands’ latest releases: for Whitley Neill, its Japanese Yuzu & White Strawberry Gin and the Distiller’s Cut London Dry Gin; and for Dead Man’s Fingers, White Rum.

Other activations for both spirits will occur at international airports across Europe, including Berlin, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Hamburg and Billund.

Meanwhile, across June, July and August, both Whitley Neill and Dead Man’s Fingers will have activations at Cyprus airports Larnaca and Paphos.

Prunty added: “This year’s airport activations offer travellers an exciting opportunity to discover the latest expressions and to engage directly with the brand in some of the busiest travel destinations.

“We know that to succeed in travel retail demands campaigns that travellers cannot fail to engage with. Fun, eye-catching and impactful pop-ups, merchandising units and digital screens are the first step in engaging with travellers; encouraging them to taste and explore the various flavours is the second vital stage in sales conversion.”