The Moodie Davitt Report celebrates 19th birthday

INTERNATIONAL. The Moodie Davitt Report, travel retail’s leading B2B publisher, today (16 September) celebrates its 19th birthday.

To mark the occasion, we have decorated our homepage on Moodie Davitt Report.com with a spectacular digital wallpaper makeover. This week’s edition of The Moodie Davitt eZine (publishing later today and itself a landmark issue in being our 300th) celebrates some highlights of a remarkable 19-year journey.

Our story began on 16 September 2002, when a new title in travel retail publishing – then called The Moodie Report – was unveiled via a no-frills six-page PDF report.

The Moodie Report (since 2015 The Moodie Davitt Report), was arguably the first digital disruptor in travel retail. It launched as a pure-play digital publisher, only adding print titles in its second year and quickly achieving market leadership across both sectors.

Baby steps: The first edition of The Moodie Report (right) appeared on 16 September 2002 in PDF format; (left) our inaugural print edition from October 2003

The Moodie Report adopted (and has retained) a radically different publishing approach from the legacy print model that had prevailed until that time. It rejected the traditional high subscription fee base that had hitherto dominated travel retail publishing and instead made its information available to all under what became a familiar ‘Fast, Factual, Free’ tagline.

Unrivalled market penetration allied to high-quality, accurate and timely content was the constant mantra. From the start our business philosophy was underpinned by a strong sense of ethics; a progressive and if necessary challenging voice that constantly sought to advance the industry agenda; and a belief in always giving back to good causes.

The first edition [written solely by Founder and Chairman Martin Moodie] pledged to change the traditional media formula and to focus not only on key business developments but also the industry drivers that underpinned them. The word ‘Report’ was carefully chosen to represent the voice of this new information service.

Where it all began: The original ‘Worldwide HQ’ of The Moodie Report at the foot of Martin Moodie’s garden in West London. In 2020 he relocated to Hong Kong to drive the company’s Chinese and other Asian expansion programme.

From baby steps to a grown-up

Some six months after the launch of The Moodie Report in pdf format, the brand was extended to include a website (informally dubbed ‘The website that never sleeps’, thanks to the unrelenting focus on keeping it updated throughout each day and night that still characterises the service today) and an eNewsletter – another industry first.

The Moodie Blog, published in association with Bowmore Single Malt Scotch Whisky, has become one of our most popular platforms. This Blog, which documented Martin Moodie’s frustrated response (or descent into madness) to a 14-day hotel quarantine, drew over 78,000 views on LinkedIn alone.

In October 2003 the first print edition was launched, which soon became travel retail’s first such title to be complemented by a digital edition.

Since then we have continued to focus relentlessly on innovation, introducing travel retail’s first podcast, The Moodie Blog (2006), and (in late 2011) The Moodie eZine presented via a unique multimedia platform, with interactive content (editorial and advertising) throughout.

The Moodie Davitt e-Zine’s first edition (above) featured a poignant and moving interview with World Duty Free’s Fraser Dunlop (now sadly passed) on his long and courageous battle with cancer; (Below) The cover of our 200th edition on the opening of the stunning T Fondaco dei Tedeschi by DFS in Venice in 2016. The 300th edition appears today. 

In 2018, we launched the Moodie Davitt Spotlight Series, curated publications dedicated to particularly compelling industry developments. Click on the image to view the Bowmore – Designed by Aston Martin eZine from earlier this year.

Uniquely, all variations of our titles have remained free of charge to readers. All, too, have become clear market leaders in their respective sectors – the Print Edition going from a standing start in October 2003 to clear commercial leadership (which it retains today as The Magazine) by 2005.

Special editions have been a core element of our publishing portfolio down the years, helping to create a unique industry chronology and history. In 2012 we published the already enthralling story of China Duty Free Group, dubbed ‘Travel Retail’s Rising Star’. The star has truly risen since, with the state-owned company now ranked world number one among travel retailers.
In 2007, a unique publication from The Moodie Report (as it was then) recognised Ireland’s great influence in the duty free industry over the previous 60 years. It was unveiled in The Irish Village, Dubai operated by Dubai Duty Free.
In 2010 we celebrated DFS Group’s 50th anniversary with this dedicated publication

We have also tried to champion as well as seek excellence. In 2003 we conceived The Trinity Forum, which has become the world’s most influential airport commercial revenues conference (now a partnership with ACI and ACI-Asia Pacific) and has consistently sought to advance industry standards and challenge accepted norms.

[This video captures some of the standout moments from one of the great Trinity Forums, the 2019 edition in Doha, Qatar]

The Trinity Forum (top) hosted in 2016 by Mumbai International Airport Limited, and the 2014 event in Taipei hosted by Taoyuan International Airport and Ever Rich Duty Free. These are among many memorable Trinity Forums since the first event was held in London in 2003.

In 2011, The Moodie Report launched its second successful event, The Airport Food & Beverage (FAB) Conference & Awards, which has become a beacon for that burgeoning industry sector.

In the shadow of Concorde: A scene from the first FAB Conference & Awards way back in 2011. January in Manchester, England is not a good time for the event heating to fail, leading to Martin Moodie famously dubbing the event ‘the frozen food & beverage conference’ as delegates shivered under airline blankets until normal service was reserved.
Absolutely FAB-ulous as FAB headed underwater at Atlantis The Palm in 2013 in Dubai
By 2019, FAB had grown considerably in size and influence. Here is the roll-call of fame from the first-ever FAB in the US as the event headed into the lone star state of Texas.

Giving back to the community and the industry has been an integral part of our ethos over the past 15 years. We’ve been proud to support many of the industry’s great charitable drives, from the Alpha Sri Lanka Tsunami Relief Fund (launched in 2004) to Hand in Hand for Haiti launched in 2010 following the country’s catastrophic earthquake of 12 January that year.

Flashback to March 2010 and Martin Moodie as The Estée Lauder Companies travel retail boss Olivier Bottrie and Ed Brennan (then DFS Chairman & CEO) deliver supplies to Port-au-Prince’s infamous shanty town Cité Soleil in Haiti. The experience was captured by Moodie in The Moodie Blog, who noted: To my dying days I will remember the sight of Ed Brennan, the Chairman & CEO of the world’s leading luxury travel retailer, throwing boxes of aid around in this grimmest of environments. He wouldn’t want it to be highlighted but some things simply need to be said – how many other captains of industry would even dare enter this place?
We are proud of our association with great causes, from the building of the world-class Lycée Jean-Baptiste Pointe du Sable school through Hand in Hand for Haiti to support for Smile Train, the leading cleft charity (below)

Cleft palate charity Smile Train has been a particular beneficiary, both from our first charity dinner back in 2007 and with a variety of other fundraising activities since, including this year’s Moodie Davitt Virtual Travel Retail Expo, where we are for the second year running funding one cleft operation for every paid exhibitor.

Flashback to 2007 to the original Moodie Report/Hugo Boss fundraiser on behalf of The Smile Train
In 2009, Dubai Duty Free famously donated US$1.5 million to The Smile Train following the Miles for Smiles run. Here Dubai Duty Free Managing Director (now Executive Vice Chairman & CEO) Colm McLoughlin presents the cheque to Priscilla Ma of The Smile Train.
The global travel retail industry responded with its hallmark generosity in May 2019, helping to raise well over a quarter of a million US Dollars at The Moodie Davitt Report Duty Calls Charity Dinner on behalf of Southeast Asian children’s charity Friends-International. The event was held in the spectacular surrounds of the newly opened Jewel Changi Airport.

In 2015 we launched The Moodie Davitt Report EGB Cancer Research Fellowship, a five-year, US$225,000 commitment to cancer research in association with London’s Royal Marsden Hospital, honouring loved ones of our own team who have been lost to the disease (Chairman Martin Moodie survived stomach cancer in 2010/11 thanks to the expert care of the Royal Marsden).

Professor David Cunningham (left) of London’s Royal Marsden Hospital was the lead oncologist in Martin Moodie’s own successful battle with stomach cancer in 2010 and 2011.

In 2015 we began another new chapter. Founder and Chairman Martin Moodie took back full control of The Moodie Report parent company, Moodie International Ltd, after a brief period under outside control due to his battle with stomach cancer in 2010 and 2011. The following year The Moodie Report was rebranded as The Moodie Davitt Report, reflecting Dermot Davitt’s vital contribution to the company and the changes to the ownership of parent company Moodie International.

Scan the QR code to subscribe to The Moodie Davitt Report on WeChat

Since then the journey has continued. In a further deepening of our close ties to Asia, in July 2020 The Moodie Davitt Report created a new Hong Kong-based operational headquarters, led by Founder & Chairman Martin Moodie. The move underlined the company’s deep commitment to the industry’s vital growth markets of the future, led by China, as it became the first travel retail media organisation with an Asian base.

In March 2021 The Moodie Davitt Report launched its WeChat Official Account, delivering weekly updates in the Chinese language on the duty free and travel retail world in China and beyond. The account has grown rapidly since and become an influential voice and much-followed platform among Chinese travel retail industry decision makers.

Our 18th and 19th anniversary celebrations have necessarily been muted given the pressures facing the travel retail community and our own business amid the COVID-19 pandemic. But even that crisis and its related severe impact on our revenues has not dulled our appetite for innovation.

On 27 March 2020 we announced a world-first for the sector, the Virtual Travel Retail Expo, a pioneering event that attracted a remarkable 120+ exhibitors and a powerful speaking line-up over an unprecedented five-day programme.

Virtual became reality as the pioneering digital Expo took place in October 2020; a bespoke new platform has been developed for 2021 by The Moodie Davitt Report and partner FILTR.QINGWA; click on the image below for more or to register for the 2021 event. 

That success led to other partnerships. Alongside FILTR.QINGWA we partnered with IAADFS and ASUTIL in the Americas to jointly produce the 2021 Virtual Summit of the Americas in April. That same month, with BW Confidential we co-hosted the acclaimed Beauty Tech Live digital event.

Our innovation drive did not stop there. Over the past year we have extended our Curated eNewsletter series across a range of categories and subjects, having kicked off with Sunglasses Curated, in association with eyewear leader Luxottica, in 2019.

The series has now grown to include Confectionery Curated in partnership with Mondelez World Travel Retail; Beauty Curated, supported by Shiseido Travel Retail; Hainan Curated, in association with Foreo; Wellbeing Curated with Rituals; Lifestyle Curated in partnership with Victorinox; Airport Consumer Experience, in association with Airport Dimensions; Wine Curated with Masi Agricola; Design Curated with ALTAVIA Travel Retail and Sustainability Curated with L’OCCITANE Group.

{Click on the YouTube icon to listen to the latest fascinating episode of TRI-POD, with Managing Director Mondelez World Travel Retail, European Export & Switzerland and TFWA President Jaya Singh}

In May, we introduced a video podcast series called TRI-POD, in association with The SEVA Group, which has quickly grown in popularity. Each edition features a different guest chatting not just about the travel retail industry but also their own lives, likes and inspirations.

We promise much more innovation to come as reader trends and demands change. In a notable reflection of wider industry reading trends, 45% of The Moodie Davitt Report’s web traffic now comes from mobile, and all Moodie Davitt Report titles and advertising are fully optimised for mobile reading.

The Moodie Davitt Report recently broke new ground in travel retail media by launching the first mobile-only advertising campaign in partnership with The Estée Lauder Companies (ELC), one of our longest standing and closest partners. Watch out for further innovation across platforms and channels soon.

Thank you for being with us on the journey so far as The Moodie Davitt Report turns 19. We continue to strive to improve our service to our readers and supporters, and to invest in quality – of people, product and performance – as we enter our 20th year.

Martin Moodie, Dermot Davitt & The Moodie Davitt Report team

Food & Beverage The Magazine eZine