Porsche Design and Rodenstock - first time exhibitors in Singapore

Porsche Design and Rodenstock are delighted to be exhibiting for the first time at TFWA Asia Pacific Exhibition & Conference (Basement 2 J13) as they continue to build brand equity in global travel retail. With Asia Pacific seen as a key region for its licensed Porsche Design eyewear collections, Rodenstock will be using the show to introduce the brand’s latest styles to existing and new retail partners, including a new line for women.

Porsche Design Eyewear P-8479.  The unmistakable, classic design of model P’8479 is making a comeback in a new shape – a masterpiece of Porsche Design Eyewear. The current new edition is a reproduction of the globally successful model. Thanks to an ultra-light titanium frame, the design classic assumes almost weightless position on the face, while the high-quality shield lenses provide optimal eye protection against the sun – however strong.

Also new for the Asia Pacific market are:

Laser Cut – Highest Precision and Perfection

The Iconic Laser Cut (P’8663), with a frame of 100% titanium, captivates with cut-outs in the side areas of the middle section. A new exclusive model within the 911 series, the grey-tinted sunglasses lenses are milled precisely into them so that they are flush where they meet the outer edge of the frame, and at the same time are placed securely in the frame. Through the innovative processing technology, the lens gives the impression that it is floating within the wrap-around titanium band. Porsche Design consciously used pure material in the design. The P’8663 has absolutely no lacquering. The characteristic Porsche Design logo is engraved in the titanium temples by means of a special laser technique. Presentation is in an elegant case within a specially designed box.

Ti-Namic - Sporty Design Meets the Material Titanium

The striking shape of the titanium temples, reflect the side air intakes of sports cars; made possible through a modern 3D pressing process. The temples are not only a real eye-catcher, but they also ensure perfect wearing comfort thanks to their flexibility in combination with the extremely light titanium frame.

Limited Special Edition “40Y” of the P’8478

in honour of Porsche Design Eyewear’s 40^th Anniversary, Porsche Design will also be showing the Limited Special Edition “40Y” of the P’8478. The P'8478 replaceable lens sunglasses stand in honour of Porsche Design Eyewear’s 40^th Anniversary, Rodenstock will also be showing the P’8478 Limited Special Edition. With its unmistakeable lens shape, characteristic nose bridge and revolutionary lens changing mechanism, the P’8478 has been successful for 40 years. The limited edition includes a pair of sunglasses with a matt, black frame made of ultralight titanium, grey gradient lenses and a gold-coloured nose bridge. It is presented with four pairs of interchangeable lenses in blue gradient, brown, olive/silver mirrored and mercury/silver mirrored.

The new exclusive model is available in two sizes, each limited to 911 specimens. It is delivered in a practical travel box that makes it possible to safely and stylishly transport the spectacles as well as the related replacement lenses. The “40Y” anniversary package is completed with a high-quality spectacles case.

Says Rodenstock’s Head of Travel Retail, Petra Eckhardt-Koestler: “We are absolutely thrilled to have become a member of TFWA and to be exhibiting at the TFWA Asia Pacific show for the first time this year. It is a clear demonstration to our customers of our commitment to building our travel retail presence both in this region and globally. We very much look forward to meeting our existing and new clients in Singapore.”

Mars ITR strengthens team with 100+ years of international category experience

Mars international Travel Retail has strengthened its Veghel, Netherlands based leadership team with three new appointments to bring together more than 100 years of collective Mars experience.

Raghav Rekhi has joined the division as Category Director. In this role, and as a member of the ITR Leadership Team, Raghav will lead, guide and develop the marketing team to outstanding deployment of the Travel Retail Category Vision and ITR strategies, both globally and locally.

He will leverage category expertise of Chocolate, Gum & Mints and Fruity Confections within Mars Wrigley Confectionery (MWC) to develop a relevant & winning portfolio to connect with the ever increasing number of global travelers.

Raghav has almost 20 years of experience with Mars having worked his way up from Regional Financial Planner back in 1999. Prior to joining the Travel Retail team he spent the last five years as Marketing Director for Mars Chocolate India, leading the introduction of its brand portfolio into a strategically high priority market for the company. This followed three years as Marketing Director for the Middle East, Turkey and Africa, overseeing a diverse multi-category portfolio across a wide geography of 30+ countries.

“Travel retail is a completely new channel for me but one which I am very excited and pleased to now be part of,” he says. “I am confident that the wide international experience I am bringing to the channel, following my many years with Mars working across different countries and product categories, will be of real benefit to the team.”

Tom van Ommen first joined Mars Food Europe as a Finance Trainee in 2009, rapidly moving through the ranks to become Regional Finance Manager Europe and Eurasia in 2014 for the Confectionery business.

In his new role as Chief Financial Officer and, as a member of the ITR Leadership Team, Tom will lead the finance agenda of the global Travel Retail channel in Mars Wrigley Confectionery. Tom brings international perspective and thorough understanding of the wider Mars finance organization and processes.

“I look forward to use my experience of working with a variety of markets and business models to play a key role in developing and executing our strategy for growth for the coming years, delivering value for both our customers and Mars”.

Appointed to the newly created position of Corporate Affairs Director Global Travel Retail is Maud Geerbex.  Having worked across various PR and communication roles, Maud first joined Mars Netherlands in 2011 as Corporate Affairs Director for the Dutch market, moving onto join Mars Global Food as Global Director Internal Communications and Food Academy in 2015.

In her new role Maud is responsible for all internal and external corporate communications, public affairs, issues management and crisis management and will work directly with appointed PR agency Essential Communications to build MITR’s share of media voice and ensure the delivery of clear key messages to promote and build on its category management principles and strategies through industry events and media sponsorship, advertising and editorial campaigns.

Says Maud: “It’s incredibly exciting to join the Mars ITR business in this new role. I look forward to getting to know the travel retail industry and addressing the opportunity for Corporate Affairs. With the ITR team, I will work to strengthen our communications in the industry, in line with our leadership in the category.”

Raghav, Tom and Maud all report directly to General Manager Gary Clarke.

The names and roles of the full MITR Leadership Team are:

  

Christophe Bouyé         Sales Director

Bas Bredenoord              P&O Director

Gary Clarke                      General Manager

Maud Geerbex                Corporate Affairs Director

Raghav Rekhi                   Category Director

Olivier Rondeau               Logistics Director            

Tom van Ommen             CFO

INNOVATIVE AYO BEATS JET LAG, BOOSTS ENERGY, AND HELPS SLEEP

The perfect product for travellers, now available to GTR

The world’s most advanced blue light-based wearable that helps consumers beat jet lag, sleep better and have more energy, is set to become the next ‘must-have’ item for Travel Retail.

The award-winning AYO comes in the form of a light-based wearable, completely controlled by the AYO App with smart programs for Travel, Sleep and Energy.

For travellers, the huge plus is that the AYO’s Travel Program can help readjust users to a new time zone two to three times faster than normal. It also reduces fatigue and increases energy levels in as little as 20 minutes, along with improving the quality of sleep when used regularly in less than five days.

No wonder that the AYO has received an international Red Dot award for Product Design and has been nominated as a finalist in the electronics category of the first consumer-voted Travel Retail Awards* taking place on May 7^th in Singapore.

AYO gets to know the individual by creating a user profile in the AYO App based on sleep habits, personal preferences and travel plans. By being exposed to AYO’s unique blue light for as little as 20-30 minutes a day, following AYO’s personalized schedule, wearers can adapt much faster and better to a new time zone, improve their energy levels and sleep patterns.

The product is based on numerous clinical studies and more than 20 years of Chronobiology research performed in leading institutions, including Harvard, Oxford and NASA, that have shown that we can actively manage our biological clocks, sleep cycles, and energy levels.

The human brain needs at least seven hours’ sleep every night to function properly. Yet the slightest change to routine can create havoc with sleep patterns. For regular travellers, the problems can become critical. AYO solves the problem by exposing eyes to blue light in sessions as little as 20 minutes, optimising the body rhythm, resetting the biological alarm clock and assisting with sleep patterns.

To use AYO, the wearer simply pairs the headset with his/her mobile device via Bluetooth. Based on entered information, the app will then work out the perfect time for using the headset and alert the user. The AYO app offers multiple different modes, including pairing sleeping habits with a partner.

Thanks to energy-efficient LEDs, AYO can provide three hours of light on a full charge. It is sold with a hard case that can charge the headset on the go, adding another 10 hours of use - ideal for traveling.

Listed onboard by KLM and available worldwide through multiple retailers including Amazon, the AYO retails for US $299

“AYO is now being used by consumers in more than 100 countries worldwide and has received incredibly positive reviews. Its travel benefits make it an absolute must-stock item for travel retailers through all channels of distribution, but particularly inflight and airports,” says Aleksandar Dimitrov, Co-Founder and Chief Marketing Officer at AYO. “The fact that AYO has been nominated as a finalist in the first consumer-voted Travel Retail Awards really speaks for itself and we’re thrilled to have such valuable verification.”