Harding+
The key to mutually beneficial brand collaborations
In this contributed column dedicated to the cruise sector, leading retailer Harding+ shares the four key strategies to optimise the on-the-move retail experience for a willingly captive audience.
In association with
The key to success in cruise retail lies in teamwork, shared insights and a collective commitment to delivering exceptional guest experiences. It’s the seamless collaboration between retailers, cruise lines and brands – a true ‘brains trust’ model – that drives results.
At Harding+, collaboration is at the core of our values, both internally and externally. What sets us apart in these partnerships is the power of data, insights and a deep understanding of the guest experience. Every year we merge hundreds of thousands of anonymised profiles with our sales data and combine this with additional questionnaires held at different points in the ‘customer journey’ for a range of cruise line partners. This brings real-time insights that inform decisions and shape solutions that resonate with today’s – and tomorrow’s – shoppers.
As the TFWA World Exhibition approaches, it’s a time for creativity and collaboration to flourish. These guest-led insights ignite fresh ‘what if’ discussions, sparking innovation and exploration. It’s about marrying what we can offer with what brands and vendors need to achieve, creating a platform where bold ideas and ambitions come to life.
This annual event is a showcase of what can be done in pushing the boundaries of cruise retail. From intelligent store designs to eye-catching displays and creative partnerships that captivate guests, it’s about executing attention-grabbing strategies that drive engagement and sales.
At Harding+, we blend cutting-edge sustainable initiatives, intelligent design and automated technology for dynamic range planning, leveraging data from multiple sources to maximise opportunities and ensure mutual success.
So, with hundreds of brands and vendors taking the stage in Cannes and a tax-free retail category brimming with potential, what does collaborative success look like from a brand’s perspective? The answer lies in working together, fuelled by insights and creativity, to shape the future of cruise retail.
Delivering added value services to guests onboard is one element of the Harding+ approach
Citizen Watches
One of the biggest opportunities in cruise retail lies in understanding and adapting to the constantly evolving guest demographics. Increasingly, cruise guests are travelling as multi-generational families, especially during peak holiday seasons. With these family groups comes a unique challenge: catering to the diverse shopping needs – or lack thereof – of both parents and children.
At Harding+, we’ve developed a strategy that strengthens the family dynamic rather than separating it. By blending guest insights with smart retail principles, we focus on creating shared experiences that resonate with everyone on board.
This summer, across the P&O Cruises UK fleet, where the atmosphere is heavily geared toward family fun, we collaborated with Citizen Watches to create a partnership built around the iconic Red Arrows. The Citizen Red Arrows watch collection became the centrepiece of an innovative onboard competition that invited children to design their own watches, with the chance to win a Children’s Red Arrows watch.
The Red Arrows, a classic British institution with broad family appeal, helped capture the imagination of guests of all ages. This initiative not only entertained families during downtime but also encouraged multiple visits to the retail area – for browsing, collecting and submitting competition entries – creating a buzz and enhancing retail traffic.
The result? We hit our traffic goals, boosted engagement with the Citizen Watches range and provided families with an enjoyable and meaningful activity for their younger members. Wins all around – for the guests, the brand and the cruise experience.
The Citizen Red Arrows: Capturing the imagination of guests across age groups
Bacardi
In cruise retail, understanding not only what guests want to buy but also why is essential for both short-term gains and long-term brand loyalty. One of the most compelling trends emerging in this space is personalisation, offering guests the chance to take home something unique – an experience mainstream retail often can’t match.
With this in mind, we recently partnered with Bacardi and onboard Cunard Queen Anne, introducing an exciting personalisation initiative. We transformed the versatile retail space into a hub for bespoke experiences, allowing guests to purchase personalised bottles of premium Bacardi products such as Santa Teresa, Bacardi Ocho, Patrón El Cielo and Bombay Sapphire Premier Cru.
The process was simple yet impactful: guests could engrave their bottles with a unique Queen Anne design and a personalised message, making each purchase not just a product but a meaningful memory tied to their journey.
This initiative created a buzz that drew attention even from those who didn’t make a purchase, while those who did contributed to a remarkable success: total sales for this cruise were up over +200% compared to the previous sailing, and Bacardi’s broader portfolio saw a +120% uplift.
Cruise retail provides a unique advantage – dwell time. Unlike traditional retail, where the rush of everyday life limits engagement, the leisurely pace of a cruise allows for deeper brand exposure, guest interaction and the creation of lasting impressions. This model fosters an environment where personalisation thrives, enhancing guest experience and building brand loyalty that extends long after the trip ends.
“Effective collaborations are about listening, sharing and truly understanding the goals of each party”
Shanky’s Whip
In cruise retail, not every brand arrives with instant recognition. New launches and first-at-sea products are crucial parts of the portfolio, and Shanky’s Whip, an Irish whiskey launched in 2021 by Biggar & Leith, proves that even emerging brands can punch above their weight with the right approach.
The secret? Smart, impactful collaborations that don’t need to be over-complicated.
Shanky’s Whip was stocked across three key P&O Cruises vessels – Britannia, Ventura and Arvia – and visibility was maximised with branded assets like wall displays, bar setups, coasters, tasting cups and even branded staff uniforms. But the real magic came from going beyond surface-level marketing.
Onboard teams were trained in the whiskey’s Irish heritage, working directly with the distillery team to create an immersive educational experience. From live product tastings to storytelling around the brand’s history, guests didn’t just sip a drink – they were invited into the Shanky’s Whip story. Tasting events featured a brand presentation that added context and depth, turning a simple serve into a memorable event.
This collaboration didn’t stop at awareness – it moved seamlessly through the marketing sales funnel. Promotional pricing, gifts with purchase (such as tote bags) and clever product placement across the ships led to a +74% increase in sales over just two months. Through education and interaction, the campaign boosted brand understanding and long-term appreciation.
Creating a hub for bespoke experiences with Bacardi
The key takeaway?
One-size-fits-all strategies don’t work in cruise retail. Effective collaborations are about listening, sharing and truly understanding the goals of each party.
Cruise retail is a unique environment – theatrical, engaging and adaptable to the specific guests on board, the destinations being visited and the time of year. Traditional sales methods alone don’t cut it here.
At Harding+, we understand that bespoke conversations are the heart of growth, and we look forward to creating more of these tailored experiences with you – at Cannes, and beyond.
Partner's message
The Moodie Davitt eZine is published 14 times per year by The Moodie Davitt Report (Moodie International Ltd). © All material is copyright and cannot be reproduced without the permission of the Publisher. To find out more visit www.moodiedavittreport.com and to subscribe, please e-mail kristyn@moodiedavittreport.com