Year in Review


Videos of the Year

On this page we feature some of the most impactful videos from across the travel retail industry during 2021.

A landmark terminal opening in Bahrain

The new Passenger Terminal Building at Bahrain International Airport opened on 28 January, featuring a powerful array of commercial and consumer services in an eye-catching environment. The new terminal is one of the most ambitious aviation projects of recent years in the Middle East. We featured comprehensive coverage of the opening, and of Bahrain Duty Free’s high-class array of stores (see video).

Martell’s Hainan milestone

In a landmark project for its flagship Cognac brand, Pernod Ricard Global Travel Retail opened a debut Maison Martell travel retail boutique at China Duty Free Group’s (CDFG) Sanya International Duty Free Shopping Complex on 28 January. The boutique introduced new, innovative technology and invited duty free shoppers to engage with the world of Maison Martell through its latest in-store programmes. These include a one-of-a-kind digital boutique façade and pioneering touchless technology. Click on the video for highlights of a memorable opening.

A travel retail wonderland takes shape

Development of the Haikou International Duty Free City – anchored by what will be the world’s biggest duty free retail complex – is on target to open in June 2022, with work continuing this year, led by China Tourism Group (parent company of China Duty Free Group).

The extraordinary project, located at Xinhai Port, Haikou, occupies a plot of more than 675 acres, with actual construction spread across 485 acres. The site will feature some 930,000sq m of tax and duty free shopping space run by China Duty Free Group, spectacular leisure and entertainment facilities, offices and a high-end hotel. Our video shows progress from early 2021, just over a year out from project completion.

#Changedestiny: Taking on the social pressures impacting women

In March prestige skincare brand SK-II announced the groundbreaking launch of ‘SK-II Studio’ – the brand’s first film studio division and content hub. The concept was inspired by SK-II’s purpose #CHANGEDESTINY and was dedicated to tackling social pressures affecting women today through the power of film and storytelling.

The debut film, also released in March, was ‘The Center Lane’ (see video), which embraced the strength of the human spirit in rising above adversity during unprecedented times. It tells the destiny-changing story of Japanese swimmer Rikako Ikee’s return to competitive sport after being diagnosed with leukemia in February 2019.

In May, SK-II released ‘VS’, an animated anthology series starring female Olympic athletes which aimed to inspire more women to #ChangeDestiny.

The ‘VS’ Series merges animation, live action and story-telling with purpose. The films are based on the real-life experiences of six inspiring female Olympic athletes. They star 25 World Medal-winning Olympic gymnast Simone Biles from the US; decorated Chinese swimmer Liu Xiang; double Olympic medal-winning table tennis athlete Ishikawa Kasumi; Olympic gold medal-winning badminton duo Ayaka Takahashi and Misaki Matsutomo; celebrated Hawaiian surfer Mahina Maeda; and the Japanese volleyball team Hinotori Nippon.

Each film in the ‘VS’ Series tackles different forms of societal pressures that women experience. These include internet trolls, pressure, image obsession, rules, limitations and machine-like mindsets. Those pressures are brought to life in the form of a ‘strange beast’ or ‘kaiju’ in Japanese. Each kaiju sheds light on the inner demon each athlete must defeat to pursue their destiny.

*The Moodie Davitt Spotlight Series eZine of May 2021 explained how SK-II brought its ‘Social Retail’ philosophy to life with China Duty Free Group in Hainan, and also showed the extraordinary ‘VS’ Series from SK-II STUDIO, with each of the #CHANGEDESTINY videos featured. Click here to access the eZine and further video.

‘The World in a Day’

In May DFS Group today revealed the second phase of its groundbreaking experiential store within the Times DF x DFS Haikou Mission Hills Duty-Free Complex on Hainan island, a partnership with Shenhzen Duty Free.

The store, themed ‘The World in a Day’, is designed to demonstrate DFS Group’s leadership in global luxury. It delivers on that premise through a series of interactive displays and attractions intended to “delight, entertain and inform” customers in Hainan, while showcasing a range of fashion, beauty, watches and jewellery.

More on the concept can be found here.

Gebr Heinemann’s Ruediger Stelkens on Coldplay, Kylie and Cohiba Behike 52s

The hugely respected Gebr Heinemann Purchase Director Liquor, Tobacco & Confectionery talks about wine, women, song and the world’s most unusual job interview at Harrods in this edition of TRI-POD, the Moodie Davitt Report video podcast series in association with The SEVA Group.

Each edition involves a different guest chatting not just about the travel retail industry but also about their own lives, likes and inspirations. Find out what duty free item (bought at a Heinemann wine store, of course) Ruediger might crack open on a balmy evening; discover what pre-eminent politician’s biography he plans to read; and meet the fascinating trio that he plans to invite to an al fresco dinner on TRI-POD’s resident paradise island.

Ramesh Cidambi’s life and career journey

Ramesh Cidambi might have become an explosives expert. He could have been a botanist. But fate decreed that he embarked instead on what would become a stellar 33-year career with one of the world’s great travel retailers, Dubai Duty Free, where he is Chief Operating Officer today. Click on the video for one of our most memorable video interviews of the year, also from our popular TRI-POD series in partnership with The SEVA Group.

For more episodes of the TRI-POD series filmed this year, click on this link.

MSC shows the future class of cruising

In this spectacular video, we shared how MSC Cruises views the next generation of cruising through what it calls the “revolutionary” MSC World Europa, which sails from December 2022.

The film portrays the Y-shaped aft, opening onto an impressive 104-metre long promenade that offers breathtaking sea views. It also shows The Spiral – a striking architectural centrepiece in the form of a dry slide spanning 11 decks – the longest at sea. And it highlights the distinct districts onboard, including MSC Cruises’ first department store at sea, its first outdoor brand boutiques and a new design for its logo stores.

Turning the lights back on at DXB Terminal 1

“The day has arrived at Dubai Airports, and everyone at #DXB is ready to welcome the world to T1. Incredible effort from our business partners and colleagues to reactivate in record time, and every emotion has been experienced.”

That’s how Executive Vice President Commercial Eugene Barry reacted on LinkedIn, on a red-letter day for Dubai Airports, as Terminal 1 reopened on 24 June, after 457 days of closure. The reopening came as a hugely positive signal for the recovery of travel and tourism in the UAE, and a big boost to Dubai Duty Free and other commercial service providers at the airport.

A crowning moment for Glenfiddich

In early July William Grant & Sons celebrated the global duty free launch of Glenfiddich Grande Couronne 26 Year Old with China Duty Free Group (CDFG) by opening a pop-up store in CDF Mall at the Sanya International Duty Free Shopping Complex in Haitang Bay.

The Moodie Davitt Report was represented by our colleagues at Hainan Hinews Media Co (Hinews) – Hainan’s largest digital media company.

In a world exclusive, The Moodie Davitt Report presented this special Chinese language video report from Lu Tian Qin, Chief TV host of Hinews.cn Media and Head of the Duty Free Channel.

In the video Tian Qin visits the new pop-up store; interviews William Grant & Sons Regional Manager Global Travel Retail China Duan Fei & Customer Planning & Activation Manager – Global Travel Retail North Asia Jean Chen; and delivers the seal of approval for Grande Couronne 26 after a nosing and tasting with Jean Chen at the pop-up.

Manchester Airport’s transformed Terminal 2

“This is a proud milestone for our airport as we begin to emerge from the restrictions brought about by the Covid-19 crisis, and an important moment in our 83-year history.” Manchester Airport Managing Director Karen Smart hails the opening of the new Terminal 2 on 14 July, the centrepiece of Manchester Airport Group’s £1 billion Transformation Programme, which was first announced in 2015. It was scheduled to open in Summer 2020, but was put on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The ‘super terminal’ features a strong commercial offer, led by localised F&B concepts and brands, and the latest World Duty Free store with a compelling Sense of Place. This video captures the new-look environment in the week that it opened.

All quiet on the eastern front at Incheon Airport

The Moodie Davitt Report Founder & Chairman Martin Moodie travelled out of Incheon International Airport on 8 August and shot this short film in his iPhone. It shows the impact of the dramatic collapse in passenger numbers at the Korean gateway and the knock-on effect to the normally bustling retail zone, Airstar Avenue.

But it also reveals that Incheon International Airport Corporation and its commercial partners have maintained their commitment to high-quality retail. The missing ingredient is the perennial bloodline of travel retail – passenger volume.

Celebrations unleashed at Hamad International

This memorable video captured the euphoria at Hamad International Airport as the management and staff celebrate the Doha gateway being named the World’s Best Airport at the Skytrax 2021 World Airport Awards. The consumer-voted accolade marked a breakthrough moment for the Doha hub, which opened in 2014.

The accolade was a critical recognition of Hamad International Airport’s outstanding customer service over the past 18 months and its continuing investment in its facilities, including a world-leading retail offer.

Wowing the customer at GDF Plaza Phase II

On 30 August Global Premium Duty Free (GDF) Plaza – owned by Hainan Development Holdings – opened Phase II of its extensive shopping space in Haikou. It introduced a wide array of cosmetics, perfumes, bags, shoes, watches, liquor, glasses, and jewellery. We brought readers exclusive video, courtesy of GDF Plaza, that captured the elegance and diversity of the offer.

The video below offers further exclusive video coverage from the same opening, in association with The Moodie Davitt Report’s strategic local partner Hainan Hinews Media Co.

In the film, shot on opening day, Lu Tianqin, Chief TV Host of Hinews.cn Media and Head of the Duty Free Channel on the hugely popular New Hainan app, interviews Lim Guek Boon (Casey Lim), Vice President of Global Consumer Boutique (Hainan) Trading Co Ltd, and speaks to shoppers about their reaction to the offer.

Golf superstar Ian Woosnam talks Wines of Golf Legends

In a global exclusive in October, The Moodie Davitt Report Founder & Chairman Martin Moodie spoke to Welsh golfing superstar Ian Woosnam and winemaker Aurore Legrand about their combined role in Wines of Golf Legends, the innovative concept from French wine company Peuch & Besse that was named winner of The QDF Factor*.

As reported, Wines of Golf Legends is a unique collaboration between some of the world’s most illustrious golfers and a selection of outstanding winemakers. Travel retail is the key target market.

The collection begins with an initial range of fine wines selected in collaboration with golfing stars Jean Van de Velde (France), José María Olazábal (Spain), Costantino Rocca (Italy), David Frost (South Africa) and Ian Woosnam (Wales). Wines produced in association with Nancy Lopez and Davis Love from the USA and Michael Campbell from New Zealand will join the line-up in early 2022 with others to follow soon after. The range will eventually stretch to 18 golfers and winemakers, in keeping with the number of holes on a golf course.

*The QDF Factor is an extraordinary industry competition held in both 2020 and 2021 to encourage innovation and differentiation among brand owners. As a result of its success, Wines of Golf Legends has captured a six-month high-profile promotion at Qatar Duty Free’s award-winning retail offer in Hamad International Airport, Doha, plus a free six-month US$50,000 multi-media advertising campaign with The Moodie Davitt Report.

On location as Chanel N°5 Spaceship lands at Heathrow

An out of this world pop-up. That’s what beckoned travellers through Heathrow Airport in November as Chanel, Heathrow Airport, Dufry and JCDecaux joined forces for a compelling activation that celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Chanel N°5 fragrance.

The Moodie Davitt Report was in attendance to bring you full coverage and this video which summarised the highlights of a memorable day.

Star power in Hainan

This vibrant 90-second video captures the thrill of a major NARS prestige beauty promotion with China Duty Free Group, both offline at the Sanya International Duty Free Shopping Complex, and online.

The November campaign was fronted by celebrity Mika Hashizume (Mika/米卡), a member of international boy group INTO1. His appearance helped to drive brand awareness, consumer engagement and footfall to the NARS counter, generating an uplift in sales of more than +20% (compared to the November daily average).

It was promoted on NARS-owned Chinese social media channels and through a strategic partnership with CDFG’s ecommerce and social media platforms. Impressively, the campaign generated more than 3.3 million views and close to 550,000 engagements across all social media platforms (as of 11 November).

An airport named for you

We liked this story and video from Finland earlier in December, where – in what airport company Finavia said is a world first – Helsinki Airport has allowed visitors to rename the airport temporarily after themselves. It was part of the celebrations surrounding the opening of the upgraded Terminal 2.

The renaming after individual visitors (see video for how this is brought to life) comes as Helsinki Airport declared that it is dedicating its upgraded environment “to the people it most values – its passengers”. Anyone visiting the airport has the chance to name it after themselves by digitally adding their name to the official sign on the airport’s facade.

“We strongly believe that airports are, and always should be, for the passengers. Because what would they be without customers? We are beyond proud to be the first airport in the world to actually name ourselves after you, me and all of us,” said Finavia SVP of Marketing and Customer Experience Katja Siberg.

It’s a sentiment to be applauded, and one that brings digitalisation and the all-important personal touch together in a memorable way at one of Europe’s most progressive airport companies.

Partner's message

image
image
image

The Moodie Davitt eZine Issue 304 | 21 December 2021

The Moodie Davitt eZine is published 15 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 sinead@moodiedavittreport.com

Share this article: