Making Breakfast at Tiffany’s an airport reality

Moon river, wider than a mile
I’m crossing you in style some day
Oh, dream maker, you heart breaker
Wherever you’re goin’, I’m goin’ your way

Courtesy of Marketing-Interactive.com I bring you this gloriously exuberant image from Singapore. It shows how the famed jewellery house Tiffany recently partnered with local bakery brand Tiong Bahru Bakery to make the concept of Breakfast at Tiffany’s, made famous in the 1961 Audrey Hepburn and George Peppard movie of Truman Capote’s novella, a reality.

I first watched, in Cinema Paradiso-style enchantment, the movie from the projectionist’s room at my father’s cinema in Christchurch, New Zealand. Much later I studied (and adored) Capote’s work at Canterbury University. I suppose like millions of men all over the world of my generation I have loved Audrey Hepburn ever since. Her beauty is as timeless as it is ethereal.

In the movie’s opening scene (click on the icon below, if it doesn’t pull a heartstring or no you may be a humanoid), played out over the credits, a New York cab pulls up at Tiffany & Co on an early morning, eerily empty empty Fifth Avenue in New York.

Out of it steps, ever so lightly, one Holly Golightly, played by Ms Hepburn. She is carrying a paper bag. In it, of course, is her breakfast. She walks to one of the windows, gazes at the jewellery within, nibbles at her croissant and sips on her coffee. And then she walks away, down Fifth Avenue. The entire scene is played out to the exquisite melody of Moon River (Johnny Mercer, Henry Mancini)

Anyway, I digress. Let me return (somewhat reluctantly) to the joint promotion in Singapore, which saw the jewellery house set up a booth outside the ION Orchard shopping mall and give out, you guessed it, free coffee and croissants. Bringing Capote (and Audrey) firmly into the 21st century, visitors could post a picture of the coffee cart with hashtags such as #tiffanypaperflowers and #tiongbahrubakery.

Movie aficionados could even recreate their own iconic Audrey Hepburn moment by having breakfast while peering into ION Orchard’s Tiffany’s boutique.

Now wouldn’t it be lovely to see such a concept in a world airport? After all, Tiffany is sold in most leading international hubs. And I know an F&B operator or two who sell most excellent croissants and coffee. I’m telling you, it would be a fantastic Instagrammable success.

In fact, we recently reported that Qatar Duty Free has opened a Tiffany & Co. boutique at Hamad International Airport in Doha, beautifully branded as you can see below in Tiffany & Co.’s signature colours.

I can see it now. From Hamad to Hepburn. Add a small food & beverage offer next door, play Moon River to passengers, ask them to close their eyes and they could be on Fifth Avenue standing alongside Audrey herself. And they wouldn’t even need Qatar Airways to get there.