MARS takes new innovations to the Americas against backdrop of successful 2013

Innovation, activation, fun. These are the three key elements behind Mars International Travel Retail’s (MITR) ongoing mission to drive confectionery sales growth globally. Nowhere is this more evident than in the Americas, where the past year has seen highly successful promotional activity and a brand new M&Ms shop opening at Aeropuerto de Santiago de Chile. 2014 sees more of the same with a fast paced program of activations planned, alongside the introduction of an exciting new range of products, being shown to regional buyers at this year’s Duty Free Show of the Americas (booth 523).

Focussing on the fast moving family and informal gifting sectors with an emphasis on the souvenir/destination shopper, new lines include:

Celebrations® Big Sweet The new travel retail exclusive 310g Big Sweet is a perfect gifting story. Designed to represent a giant gift-wrapped chocolate, customers can choose boxes with one of three appropriate gift tags – heart, gift box or star shaped – allowing them to write their own personal message.

MARS Maltesers® Teasers® Exclusive to travel retail, the most popular chocolate in the Celebrations mix is now offered in its own right, available in pouch, sharing bag and bucket formats.

'These new product innovations and renovations are offered to our customers within the Americas alongside a truly exciting program of activations for 2014,’ says Lieke Duijmelings, Marketing Director MARS International Travel Retail. ‘We look at the business as a complete offer. Innovations are vitally important, but equally so is the way we market them to the traveller. There is simply no point having wonderful products sitting on the shelf if no consumers are attracted to them. For us the mission is to capture travellers as they pass through the airport with engaging theatre, fun and excitement.

‘In this respect, the Americas region performed very well for us last year with double digit growth and some incredible results from promotional activity,’

One example of this was the M&Ms Mega Beach Ball campaign in 2013, which saw retailers competing to organize the most unique experience and win a prize. Punta Cana International Airport in the Dominican Republic came up trumps, with Mars ITR working with DFA to create a high impact, colourful and fun theatre around the offer of a free M&Ms Beach Ball with every two M&Ms Maxi pouches purchased. As a result, sales for Mars not only increased 25% during the promotional period, but the activation additionally improved store and category sales overall.

‘The promotion achieved everything we set out to do – turning more travellers into shoppers by using a high impact activation to attract passengers into the retail shop area. For Mars ITR it created massive brand awareness for M&Ms while for DFA it was a win-win result in all senses,’ continues Duijmelings

The end of last year also saw MITR open its 7^th M&Ms store at Aeropuerto Santiago de Chile and, continues Duijmelings,‘the store is performing even beyond our high expectations’. Situated just in front of Gate 27 in Domestic Departures and Arrivals, the 3,640sq m M&Ms outlet features an incredible range of gift ideas for friends and family, many of which are exclusive to travel retail. Close to Gates 28, 23B and 26, the new store offers travellers a complete confectionery experience, providing a true “sense of place” through the use of Chilean inspired furniture and local branded items.

‘The M&Ms shops create entertainment and create fun within the airport environment. We know that 70% of the time spent between check in and boarding is sitting down. We want people to use their dwell time to go into the shops. Confectionery is the most impulse driven category and if we can attract customers into the shops then chances are they will spend. The M&Ms shops work perfectly for us. This year we will have a new range of merchandise products which are the best sellers from around the world. Our aim for the future is to further accelerate the opportunity with existing locations and we will be announcing the opening of further shops in travel retail very soon,’ she adds.