Monday, 27 June 2022

The Essence of a Grey Goose launch

Bacardi launched Grey Goose Essences, its latest super-premium vodka, into UK travel retail at London Heathrow Airport Terminal 5 with a multi-sensory experience.

The month-long omnichannel partnership with World Duty Free and British Airways targeted key segments of Heathrow travellers in advance. It delivered “significant” impressions online and led to the Grey Goose Essences brand page on the World Duty Free website, Bacardi Global Travel Retail said. 

Grey Goose Essences' botanical-themed pop-up at London Heathrow T5


The campaign emphasised the versatility of the Grey Goose Essences collection for home mixology. To enhance the physical launch at T5 in April, the campaign used paid media channels, focusing on pre-trip consideration among confirmed travellers and driving conversion online through advertising, social media and a collaboration with British Airways media and the Executive Club loyalty programme. 

Throughout April, a botanical-themed pop-up in the main departures lounge at T5 enabled travellers to discover the new Grey Goose Essences collection via multi-sensory, sampling and interactive augmented reality (AR) experiences. Retail ambassadors led sampling, inviting shoppers to choose their own garnish from pots of fresh basil, rosemary and lemongrass, while educating them on the origins of the botanicals in Grey Goose Essences and sharing home mixology tips. 

Shoppers were also directed to Grey Goose social media channels for recipe inspiration. A vapour bar added a multi-sensorial element to the sampling experience, and the engagement continued with a motion-sensored, AR journey into the world of Grey Goose Essences. By standing in front of the screen, floral visuals created an AR 3D shape of the user, reacting to their movements and gestures, aiming to intensify the experience of nature that is at the heart of Grey Goose Essences. The AR experience also communicated information on the new flavours, ingredients and recipes, along with a QR code linking to the Grey Goose website. Purchases were gift-wrapped in floral paper and spritzed with one of the key botanicals in Grey Goose Essences. 

Additional support included digital out-of-home media outside the World Duty Free store and adjacent to the pop-up. 

Commenting on the campaign, Sam Pickard, Director, Europe & Advocacy, Bacardi Travel Retail, said: “The launch of Grey Goose Essences at Heathrow was a huge success for our omnichannel strategy, driving significant pre-awareness and traveller anticipation of what to expect when they arrived in T5. We set out to make this a significant and memorable moment on the journey through the airport and we are delighted to have created such an impact.” 

Ignacio Vázquez, Global Head of Marketing, Bacardi Global Travel Retail, added: “Multiple shoppers told us how much they enjoyed the multi-sensory discovery of the entire collection – in fact many people bought more than one flavour from the range. The mix of digital and sensory elements really captured people’s imagination with the craft that goes into making Grey Goose Essences an essential premium vodka for summer cocktail-making.”

Grey Goose Essences is a new, all-natural range of three fruit and botanical pairings designed for summer cocktail-making: Strawberry and Lemongrass, White Peach and Rosemary, and Watermelon and Basil. Each is made with Grey Goose vodka, infused with real fruit and cold-distilled botanicals. Like all Grey Goose products, Essences is gluten-free. The all-natural Grey Goose Essences line (30%abv) is available in travel retail in one-litre bottles and has no artificial ingredients, sugar or carbs.