Diageo rolls out Smirnoff White, its “pioneering” new freeze-filtered vodka expression, to global travel retail.
To mark the launch, Diageo installed a number of high profile activations where passengers could taste the new expression guided by trained brand ambassadors.The super-premium vodka, designed to encourage passengers to trade up from premium Smirnoff expressions, was exclusively launched in Heinemann duty free stores in Hamburg, Frankfurt, Vienna and Berlin Tegel airports in June, ahead of a global travel retail roll out this month.
Rüdiger Stelkens, purchase director at Gebr. Heinemann, said: “We were delighted to be the first partner to launch Smirnoff White in travel retail. Feedback from the deluxe tasting bars has been overwhelmingly positive – our customers are delighted with this new travel retail exclusive.”
Smirnoff White, which carries an RRP of £21 per litre, is freeze-filtered at -6°C and passed through charcoal filters. Diageo describes the process as a “true revolution in Smirnoff’s distillation process”.
“Smirnoff White is an innovation that demonstrates our relentless focus on differentiation and premiumisation,” said Steve White, global marketing director of Diageo global travel and Middle East.
“It is a major investment by Diageo in the white spirits category and will be supported by bold executions at scale across key travel retail locations globally.”
The expression is contained in a “striking” white bottle designed for shelf stand-out which is said to evoke arctic ice.
Matthieu Comard, vice president Diageo global travel and Middle East, said: “The launch of Smirnoff White will raise the bar in the white spirits category in terms of the product, its presentation and the scale and quality of activation.”
Smirnoff White (41.3% abv) will be available in travel retail outlets worldwide from July 2014 at an RRP of £21 per litre.
