Halewood Artisanal Spirits is bringing its iconic brands Whitley Neill Gin and Dead Man’s Fingers Rum and Creams to life at key UK airports with a series of engaging activations.
From April onwards, travellers will be treated to a variety of gin and rum experiences in locations across the UK and Europe, as part of its partnerships with retailers Avolta, Lagardère, Heinemann and ARI.
With the aim of expanding brand visibility and consumer engagement for both brands, Halewood will activate at major and regional travel hubs, allowing travellers to experience the distinctive flavours of both the current Whitley Neill range and innovative new offerings from the two brands, including Japanese Yuzu & White Strawberry Gin, the Distiller’s Cut London Dry Gin and Dead Man’s Fingers White Rum. In addition, travellers can enjoy best-sellers including Whitley Neill Rhubarb & Ginger, along with Dead Mans’ Fingers favourites such as Spiced Rum, Mango and Cherry plus various flavoured Tequila Cream Liqueurs.
Activations run from April throughout the summer at UK airports including pop up campaigns featuring digital pillars/screens, tasting bars and merchandising units at London Heathrow, London Gatwick, Birmingham, Liverpool, Bristol and Stansted airports; events at Stansted, Newcastle and Manchester. Activities are also planned with P&O Ferries.
In certain locations, Halewood will activate a new ‘Lift & Learn’ digital experience enabling consumers to select the flavour of their choice from the range, insert into a dedicated slot on a podium, which then triggers more product information to appear on adjacent digital screens.
In addition to these UK activations, Halewood will be running shared brand activations throughout the year with Heinemann to bring exciting gin and rum experiences via tasting bars, impulse podiums and digital screens to international airports across Europe, including Berlin, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt , Hamburg and Billund
The company also has a dynamic collaboration with ARI in Cyprus which will see activations at the busy airports of Larnaca and Paphos for Whitley Neill and Dead Man’s Fingers through the key trading months of June, July and August.
New Product Offerings:
Whitley Neill Gin continues to innovate with its latest gin flavours, including Japanese Yuzu & White Strawberry Gin and the Distiller’s Cut London Dry Gin, designed to compete in the premium gin category. Both expressions are now available for consumers to discover in travel retail and offer an enticing exploration of unique botanicals.
Japanese Yuzu & White Strawberry Gin
This new release combines sweet, fresh white strawberries balanced by vibrant citrus notes from the Japanese Yuzu. The result is a crisp and refreshing profile, making it perfect for summer cocktails. The unique flavour profile is enhanced by the delicate sweetness of white strawberries, creating a harmonious and enjoyable drink.
Distiller’s Cut London Dry Gin
A tribute to the classic London Dry gin, Distiller’s Cut showcases a bold focus on dried orange peel, creating a clean, citrus-forward profile. This gin features earthy spice, a touch of white pepper, and a balanced bitterness that defines its character. The soft, rounded aroma gives way to flavours of candied orange, juniper, and subtle floral notes, providing a smooth texture with an enduring citrus finish. Introduced to compete in the premium London Dry gin category, Distiller’s Cut will sell instore at a highly competitive price.
White Rum
Forget that old-fashioned fuddy-duddy stuff from the past – the new Dead Man’s Fingers White Rum is bold, vibrant, and full of character. Hints of vanilla and tropical fruit make for delicious Daiquiris and Mojitos or keep it simple and just pour over ice with cola and a wedge of lime.
Halewood Artisanal Sprits Global Travel Retail Director Eamon Prunty says: “Our activations provide the perfect opportunity for consumers to experience our latest innovations and best-sellers in an exciting and interactive way. As always are our main ambition is to get liquid on lips through tastings, supported by bold impactful displays that reflect the colours of the various brand flavours. We want to connect with consumers in a fun and engaging way whilst being informative too and our new Lift & Learn experience allows consumers to explore the various flavours in a dynamic and engaging environment.”
Bold brands, unique flavours
Whitley Neill Gin has become a favourite choice for London Dry and flavoured gin enthusiasts around the world. The leading premium gin brand in the UK domestic market and the #1 premium flavoured gin in global travel retail, it continues to increase its flavoured gin market share by creating on-trend new flavours and using creative botanicals that reflect both tradition and innovation.
Dead Man’s Fingers has taken rum and tequila into a completely new direction, appealing to a wide range of travelling consumers and particularly the Gen Z demographic. With its bold, unusual flavours, the brand continues to innovate and disrupt.
“This year’s airport activations offer travellers an exciting opportunity to discover the latest expressions and to engage directly with the brand in some of the busiest travel destinations,” continues Prunty. “We know that to succeed in travel retail demands campaigns that travellers cannot fail to engage with. Fun, eye-catching and impactful pop-ups, merchandising units and digital screens are the first step in engaging with travellers; encouraging them to taste and explore the various flavours is the second vital stage in sales conversion. We’re delighted to again be working with specialist retail agency Kounter this year to bring this ambition to life.”
