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And so the great roadshow begins…
This BLOG comes to you from Singapore, where I have just arrived to witness the Changi Airport launch of the US$200,000 Bombay Sapphire Revelation, one of just five decanters to be offered for sale worldwide.
As reported, significant proceeds from the sale of the five decanters – being offered by World Duty Free at Heathrow T5, DFS Group at Changi and New York JFK T4, Dubai Duty Free at Dubai International and The Nuance Group at Sydney – will go to children’s cleft charity The Smile Train, a cause close to The Moodie Report’s heart.
To underline our support for this great initiative from Bombay Sapphire owner Bacardi Global Brands, The Moodie Report team is now on the move around the globe, tracking the five launches – an unprecedented example of real-time coverage.
Associate Editor Rebecca Mann was at Heathrow T5 today to ‘road test’ the new terminal, stopping off at the World Duty Free liquor store to gaze in admiration at Revelation (but not to buy it – expenses are strictly monitored at The Moodie Report, though we did fund her lunch at Gordon Ramsay’s ‘Plane Food’). We’ll publish Rebecca’s first pictures soon – once she returns from her day trip to Manchester.
I’ll be at Changi tomorrow afternoon when Revelation will be launched at a major event attended by Bacardi Global Travel Retail, DFS Group and the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore.
Deputy Publisher Dermot Davitt is currently en route from his Galway, West Ireland base to New York JFK for the DFS Group launch there. And Auckland-based Peter Dowling is about to fly across the Tasman for the Sydney Airport launch with The Nuance Group.
Exciting days – a million US Dollars of price-points across just five decanters. That’s what I call a limited edition. And a true travel retail exclusive. With a social conscience behind it. Does it get any better than this? It’s the sort of story that we think restores the aura to our channel.
It’s certainly adding excitement to the working lives of those involved. As I stumbled off the long flight from Heathrow this evening, there to greet me were the DFS team led by General Manager Keith Tam (above), and Bacardi Global Travel Retail Regional Director Asia Pacific Aude Rocourt and her colleagues.
It was a nice warm welcome from both sides, genuinely pleased that we’re out here to cover the great event.
But my arrival was quickly overshadowed by a more important fellow traveller – Revelation itself. The Changi bottle was being carried on the same flight, nurtured for safe keeping in a locked silver trunk, and personally escorted by Ricky Singh (pictured top), of specialist high-value freight forwarders Agency Shipping.
As we gathered around, an impromptu stock check was conducted right by the gate. Fellow passengers looked on bemused as the trunk was slowly unlocked.
There was an audible collective intake of breath as Aude (below) checked the contents. Was it ok? Not damaged in transit? What if there had been a heist onboard?
There was no need to worry. The Moodie Report can reveal that Revelation has arrived in truly sparkling form at Singapore Changi Airport. Unlike The Moodie Report Publisher it showed no sign of jet lag and looked every bejewelled inch a truly class act.
It’s now in the safe hands of Keith Tam and tomorrow it will take its bow on the grand stage that is Singapore Changi Airport T3. We’ll be there to report on it as one of the great brand stories of travel retail moves on to its next chapter.