Unphorgettable

There is no smoke in an airport, and there is no Islay sea breeze. Yet for a few steps between security and the gate, passengers get both.

For Suntory Global Spirits, PIONEERS brought the launch of the new Laphroaig 12YO, exclusive to travellers, into the duty-free stores of Munich, Hamburg and Vienna Airport, capturing the brand's smoky, salty, uncompromising character.

The first thing you notice is a stare. Willem Dafoe, the new face of Laphroaig, rests his chin on his hands across the full width of the counter and looks every passenger straight in the eye. It isn't loud, but it makes you stop.

Then the space pulls you in. A towering column wrapped in ink-black smoke asks one of those famously honest Friends of Laphroaig quotes: "Smoky burning beast, can you resist the call of the toffee apple ocean?" LED screens and backlit surfaces bring the brand's moody world of fog, fire and sea into motion. Clean white volumes with Laphroaig's signature green frame the bottles like exhibits.

And then it gets personal. At the "Find your unphorgettable fragrance" station, travelers lean in, smell Four Oak, PX Cask, the new 12YO and The Cask Legacy side by side, and "pick their quote."

The moment everyone remembers comes on a small golden spoon. Laphroaig whisky tasting pearls were produced in a limited edition exclusively for this travel retail launch. One pearl bursts on the tongue with peat, salt and smoke, and it gives passengers a first taste of Islay before they've even boarded.

That's the magic of a strong travel retail moment. A brand people either adore or argue about gets its own stage, right where travelers have time to find out which side they're on.

From production planning and manufacturing to installation at all three airports, every element was built by our in-house team. The digital integration meant every screen, frame and green line had to land exactly where the idea needed it.