Up close and personal in travel retail
As the pictures confirm, the American beauty powerhouse’s brands remain in big demand and I suspect that CNY 2024 has contributed very significantly to honouring CEO Fabrizio Freda’s pledge to return to ‘normalised’ stock levels in the very near future.
If I can’t be home for Valentine’s Day, I can at least send a selfie. Did you really buy two bottles of Cognac my wife asked?
The production dramatically reveals a three-dimensional A380 plane formed from 1,750 drones – yes, you read that right, 1,750 – on the North Runway to celebrate the airport’s rebranding.
If Hermès was a coffee brand it would be Bacha. And if there was a croissant heaven, I promise you a Bacha raspberry and cinnamon croissant would be served at the gates.
Roger Wang is too much of a serial entrepreneur to stop with his Cognac brand. Look out for his exciting next move later this year. I won’t give the game away here but I predict he will have another big hit on his hands.
Amid all the celebrations on Sunday evening, there was a deeply poignant moment as a giant image of Khun Vichai appeared on the screen after the happy couple made their entrance into the giant hall and onto the stage.
What a great occasion it was. One that perhaps marked Lotte Duty Free’s true coming of age as a world-class airport retailer outside its native land.
The perfectly served Aperol Spritz inspired me to play this lovely passing shot straight out of the Carlos Alcaraz handbook {Note: No passengers were harmed in the making of this photograph}.
I dined with two of our industry’s newer entrepreneurs, both classic encapsulations of the pride, passion and perseverance that goes into not only getting a business off the ground but also sustaining and growing it.
Ben was doing what all good airport commercial managers should do, spending time on the shop floor, watching, evaluating. What’s working. What’s not.
“Could we take a photo Monsieur Arnault?” “Sure.” We couldn’t believe our luck. The battle for control of LVMH was raging but there could only be one winner. And we had the shot.
“No, it’s ok, I’m getting off at Cardiff, and it’s actually easier for me to stand,” the mother replied unconvincingly as she swayed stoically in a carriage resembling a human club sandwich.
The sublimely talented Dubai Duty Free Nightingales asked me to join them for a photo. Fortunately, very fortunately, for all airport passsengers they did not ask me to join in the performance.
