CAMUS Wines and Spirits and Château de Laubade Announce Distribution Agreement

COGNAC and SAINT-ANDRE DE CUBZAC, 25 January 2013

CAMUS Wines and Spirits (“CAMUS”) and LEDA S.A. (“Château de Laubade”) announced today that they have entered into a distribution agreement providing CAMUS Wines & Spirits the exclusive right to distribute Château de Laubade Bas Armagnac in travel retail worldwide.

“We are delighted to partner with CAMUS Wines and Spirits to bring our single-estate Armagnacs to discerning travelers around the world,” said Denis Lesgourgues, Co-President, Laubade et Domaines Associés (LEDA S.A.).

Considered the reference for quality in the Armagnac category, Château de Laubade’s products are already sold widely in France and are exported to over fifty countries around the world, including Japan, China, Russia and the United States. This partnership with CAMUS will include Château de Laubade’s VSOP Estate Reserve, X.O. and Extra, and will offer duty free operators a new, handcrafted alternative to the big brands which dominate the Armagnac category today.

“CAMUS will provide Château de Laubade with global reach in the travel retail channel, and we will also gain from their long experience as ambassadors of the finest spirits,” added Arnaud Lesgourgues, Co-President, LEDA S.A.

“Château de Laubade’s product offering is the perfect complement to CAMUS’s high-end portfolio of cognac and fine wines and spirits from France and elsewhere around the world. We look forward to a long and fruitful partnership with this like-minded, independent, family-owned company,” said Cyril Camus, President, CAMUS Group.

Trade enquiries:

Richard Bush, Marketing Manager. Email: r.bush@camus.fr Tel: +33 5 45 32 71 78 - Fax +33 5 45 80 59 65 - Mob: +33 6 10 75 36 88

Press enquiries:

Rowena Holland, Essential Communications. Email: row@essentialcommunications.org

Iris de Bailliencourt – International Public Relations Manager
Email : i.de-bailliencourt@camus.fr Tel : +33 (0)5 45 32 28 28

About Château de LaubadeChâteau de Laubade was built in 1870 in the heart of Bas Armagnac – Gascony’s most noble terroir – facing the Pyrenees Mountains.

Over the years it has become the largest and most acclaimed producer of single-estate Armagnac: from the vineyard to the bottle, all Château de Laubade Armagnacs are produced entirely on the property. Following in the footsteps of illustrious proprietors who helped to establish the estate’s sterling reputation, the property was acquired by the Lesgourgues family in 1974.

Today, the third generation, represented by brothers Arnaud and Denis Lesgourgues, continues to pursue the quest for excellence. Careful oversight of all the steps in the production process coupled with the most exacting standards and complete traceability ‘from grape to glass’ have made Château de Laubade the reference for quality in the Armagnac category.

About CAMUS Wines and Spirits

 

The fifth largest cognac producer in the world, Camus is reaping the rewards of the innovative and strategic initiatives introduced in 2003 by its forward-thinking President, Cyril Camus – the fifth generation of the Camus family at the head of the brand.

Committed to create Enjoyment through the Finer Things in Life, CAMUS sells distinctive, authentic and high quality products in nearly every country in the world, including most international airports and on board many international airlines, with a network of over 200 duty-free partners, covering more than 4,000 shops worldwide.

In 2012, the Camus Group’s turnover reached 150 million euros, an astonishing three-fold increase since 2009. Employing 500 people around the world, the House of Camus has subsidiaries in China and the United States as well as offices in Russia, Vietnam and Hong Kong.

In an era of financial considerations, CAMUS remains committed above all to its people, to the fairness of its partnerships, to servicing the brands it produces or represents, and to defending its values.

Something you should know about…. … NITR’s exclusive Twitter feed for the travel retail industry

Nestlé International Travel Retail (NITR) has launched a Twitter feed as part of its new, 2013 trade-focused advertising campaign.

This is all part of an ongoing collaboration with its design agency, DCActiv – and a key next step in the partnership’s Perfect Store ^TM initiative.

www.twitter.com/nestleITR will further strengthen NITR’s category leadership and trade engagement – both as an information resource on new products and as a useful tool for delivering category insight.

  

… Twitter, NPDs and the Perfect Store ™

@NestleITR will highlight a series of insight-driven NPD launches for 2013 and inform the trade on the latest developments from the ever-evolving Perfect Store ™ – which provides highly effective, real-world solutions for retailers through understanding shopper needs and their emotional triggers to purchase.

…the NITR and DCActiv partnership

NITR Marketing Manager, Frédéric Porchet, believes Twitter will “boost NITR’s digital interaction with the trade” and prove to be a highly effective communication tool

going forward.

DCActiv’s Managing Director, Robert Thorpe, added that he is “delighted NITR has chosen DC to develop its 2013 advertising, as it’s another big step forward in ensuring Perfect Store ™ remains fresh, innovative and relevant”.

NITR is the first confectionery supplier to offer both travel retail and trade-specific ‘Tweets’ for the industry – and the full trade press campaign will be live from the end of this month.

Press enquiries and images: Rowena Holland, Essential Communications. Email: row@essentialcommunications.org

January 2013

Wonderful Pistachios begins to crack travel retail market

Following positive feedback from presentations made at TFWA World Exhibition last year, strong interest in the Wonderful Pistachio™ brand has been reported from retailers in the Middle Eastern, Asian and South American markets.

‘The travel retail exclusive presentations are now in production and will be available to all customers in mid February’ says Paramount Farms Sales Director Australia/SE Asia James Kfouri. ‘We are then confident of announcing a number of retail listing as they are confirmed.’

At TFWA World Exhibition, Paramount Farms introduced two new exclusive pack sizes for Wonderful Pistachio’s™: a 300g pack of best-selling Roasted & Salted pistachios and a 275g pack of award-winning Salt & Pepper pistachios both carrying recommended retail prices of US$11.00. Both items are offered in resealable premium-look stand up pouches and carry a global travel retail exclusive logo. In addition, there is a travel retail version of the existing 510g gift bag which includes a hang-tag with multi-lingual nutrition and ingredients details.

Kfouri says that Cannes provided the company with essential feedback on the range. ‘As a direct result of meetings at TFWA World Exhibition we have revamped our display stands and made them half the original size. We have also opened warehouses in Singapore, Jebel Ali and Germany to cater for regional supply to customers that cannot order containers.’

The company has also set up a dedicated travel retail website for the brand at: www.wonderfulpistachios.com/travelretail

‘The next phase in our strategy is to introduce the travel retail presentations to buyers in the Americas region – where, of course, the Wonderful Pistachio brand name is already well known. Indeed, Wonderful Pistachio is currently the No. 1 snack nut brand in the US - so we are very confident for travel retail distribution in the region.’

Kfouri adds: ‘We’ve been very encouraged with the response to both the essence of the brand and the products. There is a clear demand in travel retail for products that meet the demand for healthier savoury snacks which, at the same time, are still fun to eat and tasty.

‘The Wonderful Pistachio brand is ideal in this respect and comes with the added benefit of being equally suitable for gifting.’

Trade contacts: James Kfouri, Sales Director Australia/SE Asia & GTR, Paramount Farms:

Tel: + 61 417 149 922. Email: jkfouri@paramountfarms.com

Press contacts: Rowena Holland, Essential Communications. Tel: +44 (0) 208 405 8109.

Email: row@essentialcommunications.org

January 2013

Note to editors: Paramount Farms

• Paramount Farms is the world’s largest grower and processor of almonds and pistachios, with orchards located in San Joaquin Valley, the agricultural “heartland” of California. Paramount Farms grows, processes and packages more pistachios than any other company in the world. In addition to its marketing firsts, the company has single-handedly driven groundbreaking research on the exciting health and nutrition benefits of pistachios. Furthermore, Paramount Farms is dedicated to sustainability and the protection and preservation of the environment in all aspects of its operations. Paramount operates one of the largest private solar farms in North America.

• In addition to its marketing firsts, the company has single-handedly driven groundbreaking research on the exciting health and nutrition benefits of pistachios. Furthermore, Paramount Farms is dedicated to sustainability and the protection and preservation of the environment in all aspects its operations. Paramount operates one of the largest private solar farms in North America.

Wonderful Brand history:

• Wonderful Pistachios brand is currently the No. 1 snack nut brand in the U.S., and is sold in more than 30 countries around the globe. The Wonderful Pistachios brand features sleek, upscale packaging and a bold contemporary look, appealing to a sophisticated, health-conscious consumer.  Wonderful Pistachios are grown in Lost Hills, California, part of the San Joaquin Valley, the agricultural heartland of California.  

Nutritional information:

	Wonderful Pistachios 30g Roasted No Salt
Serving Size		Per 30g serving
Calories(kcal)		160		kcal
Total carbohydrate(g)		8		g
Dietary Fiber(g)		3		g
Sugars(g)		2		g
Protein(g)		6		g
Total fat(g)		13		g
Saturated fat(g)		2		g
Trans fat(g)		0		g
Cholesterol(mg)		0		mg
Sodium(mg)		0		mg
Potassium(mg)		310		mg
Calcium(mg)		30		mg
Iron(mg)		1.1		mg

THE BALVENIE TUN 1401 BATCH NO 7: EXCLUSIVE FOR GLOBAL TRAVEL RETAIL

David Stewart, Scotch whisky’s most experienced Malt Master, has produced another outstanding small batch of The Balvenie Tun 1401. Batch 7 of this single malt, which is a marriage of rare Balvenie matured in nine traditional American whisky casks and two European sherry butts, hand-selected by David, will be available exclusively in global travel retail outlets.

After selection, the aged whisky – some of which was distilled in David’s earliest days at the distillery – was transferred into the impressive Tun 1401, a traditional oak marrying vessel cared for by the distillery’s on-site team of coopers. Left to rest for several months to create a single malt that enhances its already precious parts, the resulting single malt is exceptionally rich and complex.

Commenting on the new release, David Stewart said: “I always look forward to selecting the different casks of aged Balvenie whisky for the batches we marry in Tun 1401 and Batch 7 was no exception. This new batch is quite different to Batch 4, the previous batch which was available in travel retail outlets, as it contains more whisky matured in traditional American ex-Bourbon barrels, so it contains more soft vanilla notes.”

“The way we transfer the whisky from each of the casks into Tun 1401 is also always a memorable experience. It could be done quickly using a machine, but we like to use a lovely old pump that is operated by hand – it takes a while, but we’ve also maintained the tradition of doing it manually. The pump has been used at the distillery for more than 50 years, even longer than I have been here!”

Tun 1401 is The Balvenie’s traditional oak marrying vessel, housed in Warehouse 24. The seventh batch to have rested within the tun is rich, deep and floral on the nose with luscious maltiness, blossom honey and notes of orange peel overlaid with a delicate sweetness and mature oak tannin. The taste is silky sweet, with cinnamon, honey and gentle vanilla mingling with hints of oak to give great depth of flavour. Citrus notes, soft vanilla and elegant honey linger on the finish.

Hand-bottled at The Balvenie Distillery in Speyside, The Balvenie Tun 1401 Batch 7 has an ABV of 49.2% and will be available worldwide, from March 2013, exclusively through travel retail outlets at an RRP of £175.

~ ENDS ~

Press enquiries: Rowena Holland, Essential Communications

Email: row@essentialcommunications.org

Notes to editors

About The Balvenie

• The Balvenie is a unique range of single malts created by David Stewart, The Balvenie Malt Master, who celebrated his 50^th year at the distillery in 2012. Each has a very individual taste, but each is rich, luxuriously smooth and underpinned by the distinctively honeyed character of The Balvenie.

• The Balvenie is dedicated to the five rare crafts that are used to create The Balvenie’s distinctive taste. It is the only distillery that still grows its own barley, uses traditional floor maltings and keeps both coppersmiths and coopers on site – making The Balvenie the most handcrafted of malts.

• The Balvenie Single Malt Scotch Whisky is produced by William Grant & Sons Ltd, an award-winning independent family-owned distiller founded by William Grant in 1886 and today run by his direct descendants.

WIDE SPECTRUM OF KEYNOTE SPEAKERS FOR TFWA AND APTRA INDUSTRY CONFERENCE ON CHINA

One of China’s leading media personalities is the latest representative of the business community to confirm that he will address the inaugural Industry Conference on China, entitled ‘China’s Century: The Fast Pace of Change in China Duty Free & Travel Retail, which will be staged from 5^th to 7^th March 2013 in the Beijing Hotel, Beijing.

Rui Chenggang, Anchor and Director for CCTV Business Channel will make a keynote presentation on the second day of the conference, which is organised for the duty free and travel retail industry by TFWA in partnership with APTRA, and given his grasp of the country’s pivotal role on the global political and business stage, it is expected to stimulate considerable debate among delegates.

As a journalist who understands the issues that are of concern to Chinese people of all social backgrounds, Chenggang will comment on the aspirations of the Chinese people themselves and how they wish to see China develop.

Other eminent commentators on Chinese society engaged to share their wisdom with delegates include James Kynge, Editor, China Confidential, FT who will present ‘The Rise of China’, an insightful assessment of the challenges of doing business in China drawing on research carried out by the Financial Times into consumer behaviour.

In ‘The Chinese luxury travelling consumer’, Rupert Hoogewerf, Founder, Chairman and Chief Researcher of the Hurun Report will share his unparalleled understanding of China’s luxury consumer – the rich and the ultra-rich – based on the research findings of the Hurun Report.

Given the appetite of Chinese people for luxury products it is no surprise that this statistical analysis will be supported by testimony from major multinationals including Andrew Wu, LVMH Group President, Greater China in his keynote presentation ‘From Evolution to Revolution: Understanding China’s Consumers’.

This will be followed by a panel discussion on ‘Luxury in China and the Chinese luxury consumer’ featuring Christian Blanckaert, Professor of Management, ESCP Business School, Simon Tam, Head of Wine - China, Christie’s, Hans-Kristian Hoejsgaard, CEO, Davidoff and Muriel Zingraff-Shariff, Director Retail Concessions, BAA.

Philippe Schaus, CEO, DFS will take up the baton from the duty free and travel retail industry perspective looking at how the channel must and will evolve in response to the demand for luxury goods.

Lu Lu, President, China Duty Free Group will provide a retailer’s perspective on the challenges and opportunities for the duty free industry in China and in ‘The Beijing Story’, Wei Zhang, Vice President of Beijing Capital International Airport, the official host of the event, will report on the evolution of its own commercial offer in line with changing passenger expectations.

Also contributing their considerable experience to the two-day event will be Mark Riches, Retail Consultant and former CEO World Duty Free, on ‘Excellence in duty free’ and Sunil Tuli, Managing Director (Duty Free) King Power Group Hong Kong on ‘The past, present and future of China Duty Free & Travel Retail: an insider perspective’.

Panelists Peter Harbison, Executive Chairman CAPA – Centre for Aviation, Wolfgang Weil, Chief Operations Officer, Xi'an Xianyang International Airport and John Woodhouse, Head of Business Development, China & East Asia, AerRianta International will take a detailed look at ‘China’s aviation landscape and the commercial potential’.

Representing the destination airports of Chinese travellers will be Emmanuel De Place, CEO, LS Travel Retail ASPAC and Freda Cheung, CEO Canada, World Duty Free Group in ‘China’s high-flyers: the opportunity for retailers and brands’.

The characteristics of this consumer group will be probed by Viveca Chan, Founder and CEO, WE Marketing Group, Andrew Stockwell, VP Asia Pacific, Forrester Research and Garry Stasiulevicuis, MD, Counter Intelligence Retail in ‘Market insights - Chinese consumers at home, away and online’.

And finally three of the many companies which are striving to succeed in China will present their experience in ‘Adapting to China - a supplier perspective’ led by Francis Gros, Group Travel Retail Director, Luxottica, Patrick Bouchard, Global Travel Retail Managing Director, Puig, Mohamed Elsarky, President, Godiva International and Cyril Camus, President, Camus Cognac.

Full details of the programme, the One2One meetings service, the social events, registration and the hotel booking service can be found at http://www.tfwa.com/duty_free/China-s-Century-Conference.17.0.html

The partners supporting the event include Diamond and Gala Dinner sponsor King Power Group (Hong Kong); Diamond sponsor Patron Spirits; Gold sponsor Puig; lunch sponsors DFS and Furla; coffee break sponsors Chivas, Ferrero, Perfetti Van Melle and Toblerone; other sponsors Colorful Licenses International, and Kipling.

Pre-registration for the inaugural TFWA/APTRA Industry Conference on China is open at www.tfwa.com.

Ends

For further information please contact

TFWA Press Office – Kate Teagle Tel: +44 1784 434 666

www.tfwa.com Email: press@tfwa.com

William Grant holds first global tasting of Age of Discovery III onboard Viking Line's Cinderella

More than 4000 passengers onboard Viking Line's Cinderella enjoyed a complete whisky experience with William Grant & Sons during the cruise line’s fifth Whisky Fair which took place from January 17-20. Over three 24 hour cruises, routing between Stockholm and Mariehamn, whisky aficionados were able to experience some 500 different whiskies from suppliers, including the complete William Grant & Sons portfolio.

For William Grant & Sons, the Viking Line Whisky Fair provides a perfect opportunity to introduce its full range of Glenfiddich, Grant's, The Balvenie and Tullamore Dew whiskies, including the most recent additions and limited editions. The company's quirky Hendrick's Gin was also available for sampling.

In order to provide passengers with an innovative and engaging experience, WGS brought in all its global brand ambassadors to host master classes from stands built to reflect the essence of each brand. 

Glenfiddich global brand ambassador Ian Millar introduced the unique 125^th Anniversary edition, created to celebrate the birthday of the Glenfiddich distillery and conducted the world’s first tasting of the Glenfiddich Age of Discovery range, including the latest Glenfiddich Age of Discovery III, the 19yo Red Wine Cask Finish.

Balvenie Global brand ambassador Sam Simmons paid homage to the 50^th anniversary of Malt Master David Stewart, who has nosed over 400.000 casks during his time, offering passengers the rare chance to taste some of the memorable samples from each of David's five decades with the distillery. Included in the selection was The Balvenie Fifty – certainly the most exclusive and expensive whisky present onboard. The Balvenie stand also featured a malting floor allowing consumers to try the rare craft of malting for themselves.

Lovers of Grant's were able to sample a number of rare whiskies, including Grant's Ale Cask – the only Scotch whisky matured in beer casks – explained to them by global brand ambassador Ludovic Ducrocq, while John Quinn; Global Brand Ambassador for Tullamore Dew, was on hand to introduce this most true of Irish whiskies.

To complete the entertainment, each evening saw Sam Simmons perform with his unique The Balvenie 4-piece band.

Says William Grant & sons Anneli Sjoblom Brand Manager Nordic Travel Retail & Norway Domestic: 'Events like this provide us with an absolutely wonderful opportunity to showcase our brands to a very appreciative and high consuming passenger. What is so brilliant is that Viking Line gives us such scope to create our own promotional activity for each brand, enabling us to engage with consumers in the right way for each line. We are once again most grateful to Viking Line for giving us this opportunity.'

Adds  Viking Line Tax Free Manager Sales and Purchasing Kim Engblom: “We’re delighted that William Grant & Sons continues to place such importance on the Whisky Fest and supports the event so whole-heartedly. With all of the company’s brand global ambassadors here onboard hosting master classes, customers have had an unparalleled opportunity to better understand the various whiskies in the WGS portfolio and to be introduced to new products such as Glenfiddich Age of Discovery III and the new look Tullamore Dew. We also had a lot of fun with Sam Simmons and his Balvenie band in the evening, their performance was very much enjoyed by all of us. We enjoy an excellent ongoing partnership with William Grant which continue to provide innovative and engaging events for our customers. Long may it continue.’

André de Almeida, Regional Director Europe Travel Retail, William Grants & Sons: 'The Nordic area is a very important business region for William Grant & Sons and so opportunities to interact directly with customers in this type of environment are very valuable. It's all about keeping the offer to the consumer fresh, innovative and experiential, which this event enables us to achieve.'

Press contact: Rowena Holland, Essential Communications. Tel:+44 (0) 208 405 8109. Email: row@essentialcommunications.org

January 2013

Notes to Editor

About William Grant & Sons

• William Grant & Sons, Ltd. is an independent family-owned distiller headquartered in the United Kingdom and founded by William Grant in 1886. Today, the luxury spirits company is run by the fifth generation of his family and distils some of the world’s leading brands of Scotch whisky, including the world’s favourite single malt Glenfiddich®, The Balvenie® range of handcrafted single malts and the world’s third largest blended Scotch Grant’s® as well as other iconic spirits brands such as Hendrick’s® Gin, Sailor Jerry®, Milagro® Tequila and, most recently, Tullamore Dew Irish Whiskey.

Photo 1 – William Grants Stand area, Viking Line Whisky Fair 2013

Photo 2 – Ian Millar, Global Brand Ambassador Glenfiddich

Photo 3 – Sam Simmons Global Brand Ambassador Glenfiddich

Photo 4 – The William Grants team at the Glenfiddich Stand

Photo 5 – (From left to right) Jesper Kjaer, Portfolio Manager WGS, Ian Millar, Global Brand Ambassador Glenfiddich, David Francis, Nordic Brand Ambassador Glenfiddich

Glenfiddich embarks on Darwinian voyage of discovery with new, exclusive whisky

1 January 2013, Dufftown: Today, Glenfiddich releases the ‘Age of Discovery’ Red Wine Cask Finish, an adventurous whisky, bursting with flavour and inspired by Charles Darwin’s legendary voyage. Left for at least 19 years to mature, this whisky has been finished in casks which previously housed the full bodied red wines produced in South America and is available exclusively in Global Travel Retail.

This is the third innovative whisky in the ‘Age of Discovery’ range, following the famous journeys of the Glenfiddich Madeira Cask Finish and Bourbon Cask Reserve. It marks the first time ever in Glenfiddich’s history that a whisky has been finished in red wine casks. The ‘Age of Discovery’ Red Wine Cask Finish takes its influence from the renowned journey of HMS Beagle. Setting sail from Plymouth, England in 1831, its passengers included Charles Darwin, a young naturalist, who was invited onboard to record his observations as they explored the South American coast line.

Glenfiddich Malt Master, Brian Kinsman commented: “Inspired by Darwin’s famous voyage, this extraordinarily rich single malt Scotch whisky is finished in oak casks previously used to produce the smooth complex wines of South America.  After years of maturation, Malbec, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes have combined with the oak to deliver exceptional smoothness, complimented by warm spicy notes with sweet berry flavours lending a velvety sweetness.”

He continued: “I have married together some of our most exciting whiskies to create this exclusive new whisky which truly celebrates and reflects pioneering spirit.”

Glenfiddich’s founder, William Grant, followed his vision – to make the best dram in the valley. This pioneering spirit lives on with the launch of another Glenfiddich first, inspired by the revolutionary voyage of an explorer who changed the way that we look at the natural world.

Adorned with striking illustrations that map the route of Charles Darwin’s journey, the bespoke packaging of ‘Age of Discovery’ Glenfiddich Red Wine Cask Finish showcases this unique expedition. Meanwhile the deep red box and the black glass bottle, embellished with a red cartouche compass, reflects the richness and exclusivity of this whisky, making it an ideal gift for the adventurous and discerning drinker.

The ‘Age of Discovery’ range celebrates the intrepid journeys of the most determined pioneers. The first in the range and released in 2011, ‘Age of Discovery’ Madeira Cask Finish, is inspired by the passage of the 15^th century Portuguese explorers who discovered Macau and Madeira and revolutionised our understanding of the world. This was followed by the ‘Age of Discovery’ Bourbon Cask Reserve in 2012, which marks the long journeys taken along the Mississippi in the deep American South in the 19^th century.

Completing the trio, the ‘Age of Discovery’ Red Wine Cask Finish has aromas of toasted marshmallow, red berry and vanilla oak tannin - ripe fruits and a hint of woody spice. It will be available exclusively in Global Travel Retail from January 2013.

- Ends –

Notes to editors

• 70cl bottle with 40% ABV
• Glenfiddich Red Wine Cask Finish will be exclusively available in Global Travel Retail and The Glenfiddich Distillery Shop

Tasting notes: ‘Age of Discovery’ Glenfiddich Red Wine Cask Finish

Nose

• Toasted marshmallow, red berry and vanilla oak tannin - ripe fruits and a hint of woody spice

Taste

• Spicy notes on first taste – deep and smooth with velvety sweetness.  Rich oak notes and berry sweetness

Finish

• Sweet with a long lingering tannin

About William Grant & Sons and Glenfiddich

William Grant & Sons, Ltd. is an independent family-owned distiller headquartered in the United Kingdom and founded by William Grant in 1886. William Grant and his family set out to fulfill a lifelong ambition. Together, and with true pioneering spirit, they built The Glenfiddich Distillery by hand. This was a realization of a dream and the start of a new adventure. Today, the luxury spirits company is run by the fifth generation of his family and distils some of the world’s leading brands of Scotch whisky, including the world’s favourite single malt Glenfiddich®, The Balvenie® range of handcrafted single malts and the world’s third largest blended Scotch Grant’s® as well as other iconic spirits brands such as Hendrick’s® Gin, Sailor Jerry®, and most recently, Tullamore Dew Irish Whiskey.

Recent Awards:

International Spirits Challenge 2012

• Gold: Glenfiddich Age of Discovery Bourbon Cask 19 Year Old,
• Gold: Glenfiddich Malt Master’s Edition
• Gold: Glenfiddich 12 Year Old

International Wine and Spirit Competition 2012

• Gold Outstanding: Glenfiddich 15 Year Old
• Gold: Glenfiddich Malt Master Edition Sherry Cask
• Gold: Glenfiddich Snow Phoenix
• Gold: Glenfiddich Age of Discovery Bourbon Cask Reserve 19 Year Old
• Gold: Glenfiddich 30 Year Old
• Gold: Glenfiddich 40 Year Old

Scotch Whisky Masters Awards 2012

• Master: Glenfiddich 15 Year Old, Distillery Edition
• Gold: Glenfiddich Rich Oak & Glenfiddich 15 Year Old
• Gold: Glenfiddich 21 Year Old
• Gold: Glenfiddich Age of Discovery Bourbon Cask 19 Year Old
• Gold: Glenfiddich 30 Year Old
• Gold: Glenfiddich 40 Year Old
• Gold: Glenfiddich Malt Master’s Edition

Glenfiddich became the first single malt ever to be exported outside of Scotland in 1963. It is now sold in over 180 countries around the world and has won 198 awards at international spirits competitions.

Click on www.williamgrant.com for more information on the Company and its brands

Press information: Rowena Holland, Essential Communications.

Email: row@essentialcommunications.org

Lucky No 8 Glenfiddich Crystal Stag in place at Seoul Incheon

The eighth Glenfiddich Crystal Stag Gondola has been unveiled at Incheon International Airport with Lotte by premium spirits brand William Grant & Sons.

Scott Hamilton, Regional Director GTR Asia Pacific & Mr. Choi, Byung Rok, Managing Director of Lotte Duty Free Shop in  Incheon International Airport.

Launched on 11 December, the Crystal Stag continues the £1m investment by William Grant & Sons in Glenfiddich, bringing to life the pioneering spirit of the brand.

Says WGS Director Travel Retail Asia Pacific Scott Hamilton: ‘It’s very apt that this is the eighth Glenfiddich Crystal Stag Gondola - as the number is seen as particularly lucky in Asia and closely associated with wealth. We certainly look forward to seeing increased sales growth for the brand following the installation, as we have in other parts of the world where the Glenfiddich Crystal Stag has been placed.’

The installation has been carried out in conjunction with William Grant’s local agent Samsung and Lotte. ‘It’s been an absolute pleasure working with Samsung International Company and Lotte as our partners to see the Stag in such a dominant position within the airport,’ continues Hamilton. ‘It is clearly attracting the immediate attention of consumers as they move through the travel retail environment.’

Adds Mr. Choi, Byung Rok, managing director Lotte Duty Free Shop in Incheon International Airport: ‘As interest in single malt whisky is growing among Korean customers, I’m delighted to have the Crystal stag gondola placed with such excellent visibility in IIA Lotte DFS. I expect much more growth in Glenfiddich sales as a result of this stunning crystal gondola promotion in the future.’

Ends

Press enquiries: Rowena Holland, Essential Communications

Email: row@essentialcommunications.org

Notes to Editor

About William Grant & Sons

• William Grant & Sons, Ltd. is an independent family-owned distiller headquartered in the United Kingdom and founded by William Grant in 1886. Today, the luxury spirits company is run by the fifth generation of his family and distils some of the world’s leading brands of Scotch whisky, including the world’s favourite single malt Glenfiddich®, The Balvenie® range of handcrafted single malts and the world’s third largest blended Scotch Grant’s® as well as other iconic spirits brands such as Hendrick’s® Gin, Sailor Jerry®, Milagro® Tequila and, most recently, Tullamore Dew Irish Whiskey.

Connectiv aims to revolutionise digital media marketing for travel retail

..and goes live with Dubai Duty Free management contract

A new company has been formed to uniquely specialise in managing and selling digital media systems within the duty-free/travel retail sector. Based in Dubai, Connectiv has already been appointed by Dubai Duty Free as its digital media partner operating 15 screens in the Emirates Terminal 3 (Concourse B) and controlling an impressive 100+ digital installations opening in the new Concourse A from January 2013.

‘Digital advertising within airport retail is still in its infancy – but that’s changing fast as technology advances and brands understand the potential of this dynamic media in engaging with the traveller when compared to traditional ‘static’ lightboxes,’ says Connectiv managing director Stewart Caddick.

Connectiv brings its expert knowledge and experience of the duty-free/travel retail industry to retailers and brands with a unique package: managing digital screens for retailers (and airport authorities running their own duty free and travel retail outlets), marketing advertising airtime to brands, and scheduling content on the network.

‘For retailers the potential advertising revenue from this powerful tool is largely untapped while for brands the resulting sales uplift can be impressive,’ continues Caddick. ‘ More than that, digital advertising enables brands to engage directly with consumers, building brand awareness and loyalty, supporting instore promotions and activations, and targeting specific passenger groups.’

Dubai Duty Free engaged Connectiv in early 2012 to help develop the company’s digital media marketing. Commenting on the operation’s focus on digital media, Colm McLoughlin, Executive Vice Chairman of Dubai Duty Free said: “Our decision was based on realizing that we were not maximising the potential of the digital screens already in place within the retail operation and, for Concourse A, we wanted to ensure that this media source would work to create a really dynamic, engaging and effective platform that could also drive sales. Through the digital media platform, we are not just selling advertising space, it’s about selling the airtime to the right brands and scheduling content taking into account factors such as promotions and activations, passenger profiles and time-sensitive marketing messages.”’

Connectiv brings together two experts in travel retail and digital marketing. Managing Director Stewart Caddick has been involved in the planning and design of travel retail environments since the early nineties, working worldwide from Hong Kong to the US. As a consultant to Dubai Duty Free sine 1997 he has worked closely with its team in evolving the retail offer. Bernard Menhem – Head of Sales & Marketing – formerly Head of Digital at Abu Dhabi Media, has a wealth of experience in creating and marketing digital media campaigns.

Unlike other digital media companies, Connectiv is focussed entirely on the duty-free/travel retail industry. ‘Our methodology and analysis software is specific to the airport retail environment,’ continues Caddick. ‘We know that advertising to consumers as potential shoppers is not the same as advertising to consumers simply as passengers. Every airport is different, with a different passenger profile, a different mix between business and leisure, a different demographic balance. Thus, every duty-free/travel retail environment requires its own unique digital media offer.’

Uniquely, Connectiv is developing methodologies and analysis software specific to airport environments to enable audience impression measurement (AIM) as well as ‘heat map’ analysis of passenger traffic routes, facilitating even more precise advertising engagement.

Connectiv’s goal is to become the prime mover in the management of duty-free/travel retail digital networks and sales of advertising airtime, working with brands to provide a single point of purchase for a wide range of airport retail media assets.

It’s a win win situation for everyone,’ says Caddick. ‘For the retailer, the benefits are generated advertising revenue in a currently under-developed market and uplift sales through retail outlets. For the suppliers, Connectiv works with brands to create the most dynamic, engaging and effective sales messages throughout the airport retail environment and at the point of purchase. Delivering advertising messages that will drive sales using market/sector specific analysis and knowledge to determine optimum scheduling, placement and content relative to passenger demographics and airport flow.’

The digital out of home sector is one of the fastest growing advertising sales categories – Connectiv brings the full potential to airport retailers and brands in an efficient, cost-effective, and dynamic implementation.

For further information please contact

Press enquiries: Rowena Holland, Essential Communications.  Email@ row@essentialcommunications.org.