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“I took out from my pocket, ten sovereigns bright
And the landllord’s eyes opened wide with delight
He said “I have whiskeys and wines of the best
But my confectionery offer is only in jest”
– With apologies to ‘The Wild Rover’
Regular Blog readers will know my view that the confectionery category is often sold short when it comes to travel retail store positioning, layout, merchandising and display.
So often in the past few years have I walked new travel retail locations, being wowed at every turn until… yes, you guessed it, the confectionery category. So often it’s positioned (and presented) as an outpost, an afterthought, a useful but not critical add-on, almost in some cases an embarassment as if it had been left off the original design plans. A bit like the room at the top of the stairs that no visitors are allowed to enter, which houses the mad aunt.
Yet as all the research (and thanks to the great efforts of companies such as Kraft, Mars and Nestlé , there has been plenty) to date shows, confectionery is a vital category in every way. Not just as a significant volume contributor but, due to its high ‘impulse buy’ factor, one of the great footfall drivers and incremental revenue opportunities for retailers.
But you only really get (or maximise) those opportunities if you give the category a chance. I can think of no other category in this industry where the polarisation between standards is so obvious. The good (seldom, sadly, the great) and the bad – oh yes, throw in plenty of ugly as well.
Listen to the words of new DFS Group CEO Philippe Schaus: “When you travel around the world you find fantastic executions and terrible executions – sometimes not very far away from each other.” Now, he wasn’t talking about confectionery – but he could have been.
So I’m going to make it one of my missions as I extend my already alarming global footprint over the next year to single out good and, yes, even great confectionery display, promotions, merchandising and ideas.
Let’s start with today’s news from our main website, on Kraft Foods World Travel Retail’s ‘Delighting Travelers’ vision, more of which will be heard at the TFWA World Exhibition in Cannes.
I love the theme. Delight is… well, a delightful word. That is what confectionery should be all about in travel retail. Great brands, vibrant colours, delicious and enticing tastes, lots of theatre. Delightful.
Kraft today previewed its Cannes plans by revealing the dramatic success it has had with its ‘Toblerone Travels the World’ marketing campaign, which has spurred sales growth of over +50% since its launch earlier this year.
The travel retail exclusive 360-degree campaign includes a limited-edition product, highly visible point of sale, high profile promotions and personalised packaging – all critical components, I think, of our industry’s ability to differentiate, and of course to delight.
Travellers have been able to personalise their limited edition suitcase-styled Toblerone bars with location-specific stickers and win prizes by taking part in the promotions. Airport shopping as part of the travel experience – I love it.
By year end the campaign will have run in over 70 locations worldwide and Kraft claims that not only are sales of Toblerone up but that the confectionery category is seeing much-enhanced footfall.
I’m not surprised. Treat this category seriously and the results will follow. Then those landlord’s eyes really will open wide with delight.
