Bacardi Global Travel Retail is thrilled to announce the opening of The Whisky Emporium, its world-first permanent boutique. Showcasing its award-winning whisky portfolio, this is a significant milestone in the company’s mission to grow its whisky business in China and is located in the Shenzhen Duty Free Mission Hills shopping complex in Hainan.
The Whisky Emporium (82m2) is designed as an omnichannel retail experience to inspire and engage a new era of Chinese whisky appreciators with DEWAR’S – the world’s most awarded Blended Scotch Whisky and its award-winning malts portfolio – ROYAL BRACKLA, ABERFELDY, CRAIGELLACHIE, AULTMORE and GLEN DEVERON.
A comprehensive digital marketing strategy amplifies reach to consumers before, during and after their trip to Hainan via a dedicated WeChat programme for The Whisky Emporium, whilst leveraging the huge audience on Shenzhen Duty Free’s ecommerce and social media platforms. In the comfort and convenience of their own homes, consumers can take their time to plan their visit, pre-order purchases and book personal in-store experiences including private tastings, product personalisation and gift presentations.
Future digital amplification plans to maximise audience reach include partnerships with Ctrip, local hotels and golf resort destinations and live-streaming events with key opinion leaders, such as for the popular Double 11 Singles’ Day Shopping Festival on 11 November 2021.
At Mission Hills, the contemporary elegance of the in-store experience invites shoppers on a curated journey to explore and navigate the versatility of the portfolio, hosted by the team of whisky experts. The brands are the star of the show, presented in beautifully illuminated showcase walls that also house a suite of interactive QR codes. A simple scan reveals brand videos and unlocks deeper discovery of the stories behind the whiskies, their provenance and the revered craftsmanship that has led to international awards success, including the recent six medal triumphs for the new ROYAL BRACKLA® Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky at the 2021 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. The new ROYAL BRACKLA range is available in-store from 1 November 2021.
Multi-sensory is also a key feature of The Whisky Emporium, deepening engagement with shoppers whilst educating them about the flavour profiles and differentiated craftsmanship across DEWAR’S and the aged malts portfolio. A selection of vapor infusion jars and tutored tastings at the central bar help consumers explore and discover their whisky of choice before they buy.
“The Whisky Emporium is the personification of our vision to reinvent travel retail as an omnichannel market,” explains Gaurav Joshi, Regional Director Asia Pacific, Bacardi Global Travel Retail. “Bacardi believes that multi-layered, digital engagement amplified along the extended travel journey, together with an exquisite in-store experience and disruptive innovation in whisky-making is the optimum strategy to maximise both the revenue and the brand-building potential with the Chinese whisky market. We are very grateful to Shenzhen Duty Free for their long-term partnership and we look forward to putting Mission Hills on the map as a premium whisky location.”
You Jiangwei, Chairman, Shenzhen Duty Free Group adds, “This is an important moment in the development of Shenzhen Duty Free at our new Mission Hills complex. We are delighted that Bacardi has chosen Mission Hills for The Whisky Emporium, its flagship whisky boutique and we welcome DEWAR’S and the single malts portfolio and the great choice and quality offered to SZDF shoppers. We thank Bacardi for their continued partnership in creating exciting initiatives like this.”
