Campari Group Global Travel Retail is accelerating its positioning in the premium rum segment with a new permanent boutique experience for Appleton Estate Jamaica rum, prominently located within the Dufry walk-through store at Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay. Appleton Estate rum has been lovingly crafted just 50 miles from Montego Bay, since 1749.
This celebration of Appleton Estate is the largest and most digitally advanced activation in the brand’s history, engaging shoppers via a self-guided, immersive journey, seamlessly blending physical, multisensorial and digital to create a delightful and unforgettable brand experience of one of Jamaica’s finest rums. Navigation through the space is via a series of interactive touchpoints that express the legend, craft and personality of the island’s iconic rum.
The latest Appleton Estate release, Ruby Anniversary Edition, is a key feature of the space with a dedicated allocation of this limited time edition available at the Sangster boutique. Appleton Estate Ruby Anniversary edition comprises a blend of five rare rums, each aged for a minimum of 35 years, chosen from the finest stock in Appleton Estate’s 200,000+ barrels.
A sensorial journey through the art of rum
The central focus of the experience – both physically and digitally – is the distinctive Appleton Estate Insignia, formed of five national symbols of Jamaica* all integral to the Appleton Estate brand identity. Brought to life as a stunning, 3D modernist copper sculpture in the centre of the space, it is an instant, inviting beacon for consumers, intriguing them to discover more about the brand’s origin and terroir. Its copper tones are echoed in the principal framework architecture of the store, reflecting Appleton Estate’s use of traditional copper pot stills.
Adopted also as the guiding digital identity of the space, the insignia is the starting point for the shopper’s interactive experience with a simple tap of the screen. With instant image recognition from their mobile device, scanning the front label of any bottle in-store the shopper will discover dynamic content about an age statement and the craft and passion behind it, while the individual characteristics and taste profile of each of the aged rums in the Appleton Estate portfolio and their meticulous journey from cane to cup is also enhanced by narrative from the Appleton Estate Master Blender, Joy Spence.
The entire physical-meets-digital experience allows the shopper to explore at their own pace and chosen path; each element offers a stand-alone encounter that does not require the other elements for it to be understood and enjoyed.
In store the shopper’s journey incorporates a series of interactive and multisensorial chapters in the brand experience:
⦁ A captivating film runs on a huge wall-sized digital screen, sharing the sights and sounds of each stage in the crafting of Appleton Estate, synchronized with stunning patterns of shifting lighting that fill the large circular ceiling with spatial surround-sound, creating deeper integration of the digital and physical experience.
⦁ At the vibrant bar, dedicated brand ambassadors are on hand for cocktail demos and guided tastings of the permanent portfolio** available in-store: Appleton Estate Signature, Appleton Estate 8 Year Old Reserve, Appleton Estate 12 Year Old Rare Casks, Appleton Estate 15 Year Old Black River Casks, Appleton Estate 21 Year Old Nassau Valley Casks**
⦁ Inspired by their tasting experience, shoppers can use their personalized digital Insignia guide on their mobile device to discover key serves and classic cocktails to make at home. This key moment drives sign-up to the APPLETON ESTATE e-mail newsletter to deepen the brand’s relationship and communication with the shopper.
⦁ Inspired by their expertly guided taste experience, the shopper discovers the premium gifting quality of the range, including two levels of free personalization service on the Appleton Estate 15 Year Old and 21 Year Old. The Brand Ambassadors help shoppers create a personalized message via the digital platform, accessed via a QR-enabled neck hanger on the purchased bottle. Spreading the brand experience worldwide, the gift recipients are invited to discover more about their gift and encouraged to share on their social media.
Marco Cavagnera, Managing Director of Global Strategic Travel Retail at Campari Group said “We are thrilled to open the Appleton Estate experience at Montego Bay Airport, just 50 miles from where our incredible rums are lovingly crafted. It’s a perfect premium location to engage shoppers by showcasing every facet of Appleton Estate; its rich history, passion for natural ingredients, local provenance, the skill of our Master Blender Joy Spence and the versatility of the award-winning portfolio created under her guidance, ensuring there is an Appleton Estate rum for any elevated occasion, from premium cocktail-making to sipping rums.
“Our goal is to prioritize the consumer experience of Appleton Estate, inviting travelers to discover this beautiful rum’s story and craft in an evocative way. This omnichannel approach blends the right balance of technology and face-to-face interaction, creating a highly connected experience enabling us to track engagement and improve our understanding and relationship with our consumers.”
A global leader in premium aged rum, APPLETON ESTATE Rum is located just 50 miles from Montego Bay in Jamaica’s lush Nassau Valley. Aged APPLETON ESTATE Rums carry a prominent minimum age statement and Jamaican GI rum classification which guarantees no additives, ageing solely in Jamaica, and the use of pure, filtered limestone water in the production process.
