CHINA. In a global exclusive, The Moodie Davitt Report has teamed up with Hainan Hinews Media Co to provide dual B2B and consumer coverage of the opening of Camus Cognac’s debut luxury duty free boutique with Shenzhen Duty Free at the Times DF shopping complex at Haikou Mission Hills in Hainan.
The opening on 18 December was the subject of extensive, exclusive B2B coverage by The Moodie Davitt Report the following day. Replete with strong imagery, our story showcased the Camus boutique’s show-stopping, four-metre high integrated screens at the entrance and multiple layers of digital, interactive displays in-store that allow shoppers to discover the characteristics of each Camus product. It also detailed the sumptuous interior design, anchored by a tailor-made chandelier, which features a 360-degrees library of aged Cognacs.
Our coverage was complemented last week by Hainan Hinews Media Co, The Moodie Davitt Report’s strategic partner in Hainan province. The two media houses have an exclusive information-sharing alliance to bring coverage of Hainan’s booming offshore duty free sector to the widest possible Chinese and international audience.
Lu Tianqin, Chief TV Host of Hinews.cn Media and Head of the Duty Free Channel on the highly popular New Hainan app, interviewed Camus Cognac President Cyril Camus inside the boutique. In a second programme she meets Camus La Grande Marque China Duty Free Director Michael Hu, discovers some rare Cognacs and tastes the beautifully presented super-premium Camus Extra Elegance Cognac.
The films were shown to big Chinese consumer audiences last week on New Hainan and Hinews.cn. You can watch both below.
[Chinese readers can view the interview above here]
In the interview, Cyril Camus tells Ms Lu: “Hainan is turning into an iconic destination for Chinese travellers – and in the future for travellers from around the world. Hainan’s efforts to develop local duty free here is what is attracting us. The opportunity to feature all the world’s global luxury brands in one iconic location and for us to be a part of it is very attractive.”
He explains that Camus was a pioneering force in the duty free industry back in the 1960s and retains a very strong global presence in the channel today. In a highlight of the interview he explains how Camus is offering a unique ‘Master Blender’ experience at the Times DF boutique, allowing consumers to attempt to mix their own Cognac and discover the diverse qualities of the various Cognac regions.
[Chinese readers can view the interview above here]
Cyril Camus also speaks proudly of his company’s role in building the famed Kweichow Moutai baijiu in the international duty free channel over the past 18 years. “It is an honour and a privilege to be able to take Chinese baijiu culture to the world,” he comments.
He notes that Chinese consumers are very knowledgeable about spirits and highly demanding in terms of flavours and aromas. With the Maison sourcing its entire production from company-owned vineyards in the Borderies cru, renowned for its floral aromas, Camus Cognac is well-suited to Chinese palates, he says. “Baijiu is very aromatic and our brand Camus is the most aromatic of all Cognacs. So we believe we have a very good fit for local tastes and preferences.”
Note: Every fortnight The Moodie Davitt Report publishes Hainan Curated, in association with Foreo, a selection of all recent stories from the offshore duty free sector in Hainan province.
Click here to view all back issues. Please email Sinead@MoodieDavittReport.com to subscribe.
Below is our original report on the opening.
Camus Cognac spells out luxury credentials in Hainan boutique debut with Shenzhen Duty Free
Camus Cognac yesterday (18 December) celebrated a return to retail operations with the Grand Opening of its luxury duty free boutique with long-time partner Shenzhen Duty Free at the Times DF shopping complex at Haikou Mission Hills in Hainan.
To honour the occasion and mark another milestone in the brand’s expansion in Hainan, representatives from Camus – including President Cyril Camus – and Shenzhen Duty Free led the traditional ribbon-cutting ceremony.
The first Cognac house to enter the Chinese duty free market in the 1980s, family-owned Camus is expanding on its extensive experience gained through operating travel retail shops at Beijing Capital International Airport and Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport in the early 2010s. The Mission Hills flagship boutique offers a new opportunity for Chinese travellers to experience its Cognacs, the company said.
Camus President Cyril Camus commented: “We are delighted to open this new shop that will allow us to feature our super-premium Cognacs in the luxurious Haikou Mission Hill environment, and thus create a new opportunity to bring to our consumers the most refined experiences of the finer things in life.”
The Camus boutique features eye-catching, four-metre high integrated screens at the entrance and multiple layers of digital displays in-store, creating an immersive consumer experience. By engaging with the displays, shoppers can discover the unique features of each Camus product and fully experience the brand.
The interior design, anchored by a tailor-made chandelier, showcases a 360-degrees library of aged Cognacs. The use of copper and gold expresses the brand’s core values of passion, perfectionism, sincerity, and determination.
To stimulate engagement and excitement, travellers entering the Camus boutique start their journey with a giant wheel of fortune in the shape of the brand’s logo that reveals a special prize to be redeemed with any purchase.
Shenzhen Duty Free Group President Xingzhou Zhan said: “The Camus flagship store has a novel style and unique design that interprets the excellent heritage and development of this French Cognac family with a history of almost 160 years.”
Together with the brand’s classic range of intensely aromatic Cognacs, the boutique showcases the Borderies Single Estate Cognac, as well as rare Cognacs of “exceptional beauty” such as the Cuvée 4.160 ultra-premium expression from the exceptional Cuvée collection.
The boutique also provides a unique access to Camus’ most exclusive experience called ‘Master Blender’. A dedicated in-store area allows consumers to create their own bespoke Cognac.
By blending from four distinct eaux-de-vie (Grand Champagne, Petite Champagne, Fins Bois and Borderies), shoppers can learn the fine art of Cognac-making and create exclusive tailor-made Cognac fitting their own tastes.
Quoting from its vade mecum (corporate handbook), Camus said of the flagship’s opening, “Our priority is our customers, in their quest for meaning and excellence. We are committed to providing them with a responsible and authentic experience.”
The intimate relationship between brand and consumer is not confined to the boutique but also expressed digitally. By launching its brand portal with Shenzhen Duty Free on the Times DF e-platform, Camus said that it aims to bring an O2O campaign to all travellers in China.
Online shoppers can enjoy the full range of Camus super-premium Cognacs, while discovering more about the 160 years of Camus heritage and its new Mission Hill boutique.
