Best Use of Website or Microsite

In August 2021, Diageo Global Travel, in partnership with Delhi Duty Free, officially launched its most advanced digital whisky store yet to address the high demand for ecommerce solutions within travel retail. As part of the launch, Diageo’s What’s Your Whisky platform, an innovative digital experience which can be accessed via any mobile or internet-connected device, was also activated by Delhi Duty Free in the departures zone to encourage offline to online omnichannel shopping. The digital hub, housed within Delhi Duty Free’s official website, allows users to explore Diageo’s extensive whisky portfolio, make their selection based on their preferred flavour profile and receive their purchase through a straightforward in-store collection service. In a ‘What’s Your Flavour’ page, whiskies are merchandised according to four simple flavour profiles – fruity, spicy, smoky and sweet – alongside detailed product descriptions which educate and inform buyers. This simplifies the process of selecting a whisky and debunks the perception that whisky is a complicated and intricate purchase. Navigation is seamless and user-friendly. Users can gain access by simply clicking through the main navigation bar, where Diageo represents the top three brands under the ‘Liquor’ subheading or through clickable banners displayed on the homepage, one of which directs the user to the Diageo store and the other which directs the user to the ‘What’s Your Flavour?’ page. The site’s homepage is a comprehensive hub which allows users to seamlessly navigate through the entire brand store. From this central point, users can easily access the stand-out features of the site such as the dedicated Johnnie Walker hub, AI-enabled What’s Your Whisky? selector, exclusive recipes and more. Users can also delve into the world of Diageo’s single malts and the Johnnie Walker portfolio through dedicated brand pages.

The navigation bar also smoothly directs the user to Bestsellers, Travel Retail Exclusives, Value Packs and Gifting, catering to the needs of a wide range of buyers. As well as accessing the site from desktops, the platform is mobile-optimised so users can explore and access the full functionality while on the go. The User Interface was designed to minimise clutter and maximise content to optimise the shopper experience. The engaging, image-led design presents whisky as a vibrant and exciting liquor category, with video helping to bring the brands to life. Additionally, a banner linking to the cutting-edge gamified platform, ‘What’s Your Whisky?’ uses Artificial Intelligence to guide users to their perfect whisky. Since the digital whisky store’s launch in August, initial results are strong, indicating a powerful user experience and high category engagement. The store’s homepage views were 5x more than the average brand store in July – August; the average time spent on the homepage is approximately 3x that of the average page; and the exit rate for all 15 Diageo whisky store pages is lower than that of the average page on the Delhi Duty Free site. The website metrics, particularly the time spent on pages and exit rate, indicate that shoppers are consuming and engaging with the on-site content, said Diageo.