A nightcap was called for, Torres 15 Reserva Privada Imperial Brandy to be precise. But could I open the unusually shaped top? It looked like a simple twist and turn exercise but the only thing that was simple was my bafflement.
Miscellaneous
Time for the reign of cats and dogs in travel retail
Luxury brands, including Hermès, Louis Vuitton, Burberry, Celine, Gucci, MCM, Prada and Tiffany & Co. are all offering pet products, ranging from dog bowls to waterproof coats to cotton fleece hoodies. And yet in the whole travel retail world there is just a solitary pet accessories store.
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Events
The mysterious case of the disappearing Travel Retail Weekly
To my great surprise, my missive prompted the following reply: “I recently became aware that what I did constitutes a serious ethical lapse, and I take full responsibility for my actions. The article was prepared by AI and it did not notify me of the sources.”
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Quirky
Mama don’t take my Toblerone (Dark) away
I feel a ‘Buy 30 get 11 free’ offer coming on. Forget Chief Brody’s famous lines from Jaws, “You’re gonna need a bigger boat.” For World Duty Free CEO Fred Creighton it will be a case of “You’re gonna need a bigger basket.”
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Quirky
Time to paws Petsonality as Tito’s Handmade Vodka unleashes support for The Moodie Blog
The sight and sound of an industry executive yelling “Taxi!” while chasing a chair-dragging dog of the same name down the street is surely one for my unofficial history of the travel retail world.
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People
All aboard the Gucci Pink Express bound for an Amar (and AI) reimagined Heathrow
From the moment you step aboard, you’ll be transported into a world of opulence and adventure, all bathed in the beautiful hue of pink.
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Quirky
Perfect pours, great green fehlers and The Incredible Bulk
The great fehler (mistake) is believed to have inspired a similarly named American World War II movie starring Steve McQueen as a POW in which the original choice of a Springstab or pogo stick as his choice of escape vehicle was accidently translated as motorbike.
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Events
How I overcame Severe Tire Damage to become the oldest influencer in town
Before you knew it I was receiving LIVE gifts in appreciation of my efforts. Perhaps it was audience sympathy – they may have thought I was past my ‘cell by’ date – but whatever the reasons the livestream ranked number three in Hainan that day.
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Airports
How a €3,000-plus lucky lighter proves it really does pay to shop duty free
Irish auctioneer Gormleys is putting the lighter under the hammer – hopefully not literally – with a guide price of €2,300. Already it has attracted a bid of €2,900 and that’s likely to go much higher.
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Promotions
How CDF created a new style of duty free gift-rapping
Hey presto, like a magician pulling a rabbit out of a hat, with the adept deployment of a strategically placed dot CDFG created Dottie as an emblem of its world-class shopping offer.
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Events
Creating unforgettable memories with Maison Margiela
Chris Lee, delicate, almost bird-like in her androgynous beauty, was the star of the show, generating a rapturous reaction from hundreds of fans gathered for the event launch.
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Quirky
Assessing the great Olivetti vs ChatGPT showdown
Ah, even saying the word ‘Olivetti’ out loud fills me with affection and nostalgia. I learned my craft on it. I didn’t need ChatGPT then just as I have never felt the need for an automatic garage door.
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Quirky
Filling in time before filling time as we say ‘Hello Hong Kong’
There that didn’t hurt a bit, did it? My dentist in the 1960s, a Dr. Landsberg, used to say that after drilling through my young teeth and practically straight through to the other side of the earth (which from Christchurch would be A Coruña in Galicia, Northwest Spain, which might explain my later predilection for Ribeiro wines).