Mars International Travel Retail (ITR) and Mars Retail Group have partnered with retailer DFS Group in a promotion to celebrate the reopening of the M&M’s flagship store in Shanghai, China.
Mars ITR said the collaborative promotion is the first of its kind for the company.
M&M’s Chocolate World is located in the Bailian Shimao International Plaza in Shanghai. It is the only store of its kind in Asia.
To celebrate the store’s reopening on 5 December, Mars ITR said it will offer all DFS Group customers travelling to Shanghai from Los Angeles and San Francisco airports on 4 December a special M&M’s promotion with an invitation to visit the reopening the next day.
“This is a significant development for us, working with other Mars Wrigley Confectionery business units and DFS to create a 360-degree promotion that brings travel retail and domestic operations together” – Christophe Bouvé, Mars ITR.
Hostesses will be positioned outside DFS stores at both airports to hand out free pouches of M&Ms; leaflets communicating the store opening; and a voucher offering discounts on M&M’s products inside the DFS store.
Mars ITR said that, while passengers travelling to Shanghai cannot be individually targeted, the partners are “confident that the majority of relevant consumers can be reached directly through the promotion”. It will be timed to coincide with flights to Shanghai.
Mars ITR Sales Director Christophe Bouvé said: “This is a significant development for us, working with other Mars Wrigley Confectionery business units and DFS to create a 360-degree promotion that brings travel retail and domestic operations together.
“The agreement of DFS to partner with us on this project has enabled us to deliver truly memorable moments for travellers and is evidence of the travel retailer’s commitment to providing unique experiences that can be enjoyed by all of its customers.”
DFS Group Managing Director North America Mark Sullivan commented: “DFS is committed to providing our customers with an airport journey that is enjoyable and memorable.
“We are delighted to be working with Mars Wrigley ITR and Mars Retail Group on this activation, providing a fun experience for passengers in our airport stores.”
M&M’s Chocolate World Shanghai
The remodelled Shanghai flagship covers 1,600sq m over two floors. Mars ITR said it offers “the absolute best in design, technology and product personalisation”.
Features include a Great Wall of Chocolate; a colour-changing staircase; and an interactive game that guides customers to their “inner M&M”, providing an avatar that can be shared on social media. Visitors are also able to print personalised motifs and messages onto M&M’s chocolates.
